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SEVEN HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH THOUSAND 



BY CHARLES FOSTER. 


ii. 


300 ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PUBLISHED BY THE 

CHARLES FOSTER PUBLISHING CO 

No. 716 Sansom Street, 

PHILADELPHIA, PA. 






Iubrary of congress* 

fwo Conies Receive 1 

OCT 7 W ja 

, Cooy ran tmfy 
■ 

mM» Cu AAc. Nv. 

i 


~VSSS\ 

TO EVERY PERSON WHO READS THIS BOOK. ' q o 2 


Since the publication of “ The Story of the Bible,” a great many 
good people have read and approved of it. But some few have found 
fault with it. They say that they do not think the words of the Bible 
ought to be changed as they are in this book. Especially they object 
to any change where the words are spoken words. 

To show you what I mean:—On the first page, in the account of the 
creation, we read that God said, “Let there be light.” In this place 
there is no change. These are the exact words that we read in the Bible. 
But on page 429, where we are told how God sent the prophet Ezekiel to 
speak to the captive Jews, we read that God said to him, “I send thee to 
them because they are a disobedient people; both they and their fathers 
have disobeyed me. Yet thou shalt tell them my message, whether they 
will hear, or whether they will not hear.” In this place the words are 
changed. They are not the same words that are given in the Bible, as 
you will see by turning to the second chapter of Ezekiel and reading from 
the third verse. 

Now, because some persons object to such changes, I want to give my 
reason for^nakjng^them. I do it because children, and others for whom 
this book was >written, would not understand the words in the Bible. I 
have found in reading to them that they want those words explained. 
Therefore I have tried to use simpler words, such as they can understand, 
and not only understand but read for themselves. 

But though I have changed the words, I have tried to give their true 
meaning. In doing this (praying at the same time that God would help 
me to do it) I hope I have not done wrong, or what is displeasing to him. 
Yet I think it is well for me to tell every one who reads the book, here 
in the very beginning of it, that these changes have been made, and that 
“ The Story of the Bible ” is not the Bible, nor meant to take the 
Bible’s place. On the contrary, it is meant to interest those who read it 
in the things that the Bible teaches, so that they will want to read about 
those things, and study them, in the Bible itself. 


THE AUTHOR. 


Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the years 1873,1877, 1880, and 1884, 

By CHARGES foster, 

in the Office of the Librarian^,Congress, at Washington. 

- fl V°' 

Re-entered and renewed, according to Act of Congress, in the years 1901,1905, and 1908, 

By W. A. FOSTER, 

in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 










1 The author ot this worx, during 
many years* experience as a teacher of the Scriptures, both in 
the Sunday-school and the home circle, felt the need of a 









6 


PREFACE ; 


simple version of the main portions of the Bible, which would 
not only give its stories, its precepts, and its doctrines, in a 
continuous form, but would also show the connection and unity 
between the Old and New Testaments. Being unable to find 
such a work, he has attempted to prepare one, and in this vol¬ 
ume offers the result of his labors, hoping it may supply a want 
which he believes others have felt equally with himself. 

In preparing it, his endeavor has been— 

First. To include all of Scripture that may most profitably 
be included, in a work of its character and with its object. 

Secondly. To follow closely the Sacred Narrative, adhering 
to its details and maintaining a reverential spirit. 

Thirdly. To add no more of comment than is necessary to 
the elucidation of the text; and 

Fourthly. To employ such simple language and forms of 
expression, as (while not undignified, nor displeasing to more 
cultured minds) shall be intelligible to children and uneducated 
adults, without further explanation. 






PAGE 

G 

Genesis. 

Exodus... ^ 

1 QQ 

Leviticus. 

145 

Numbers ..... . 

ifiq 

Deuteronomy. 

Joshua. 178 

T . ..194 

Judges ... . 

„ 219 

Ruth. 

_ 225 

Job. 


7 

















8 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


Jonah.231 

First Samuel.236 

Second Samuel.285 

Kings and Chronicles.310 

The Story of the Kingdom of Israel.327 

The Story of the Kingdom of Judah.381 

Jeremiah .425 

Ezekiel .428 

Daniel .438 

Ezra.457 

Esther .468 

Nehemiah.481 

Connection between the Old and New Testaments .... 490 

The Gospels.499 

The Acts of the Apostles.629 

The Epistles.694 

The Revelation of St. John.698 



















THE 


STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


CHAPTERS I., II. 

B. C. 4004. 

(B. C. designates, or shows the years before the coming of Christ.) 

GOD MAKES THE EARTH AND THE SKIES IN SIX DAYS: HE MAKES ADAM 
AND THE WOMAN, AND PLACES THEM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. 

A VERY long while ago, before anybody can remember, God 
made the world. Yet it did not look at first as it does now, 
for there was nothing living on it—no men, or animals, or birds; 
and there was nothing growing on it—no trees, or bushes, or 
flowers; but it was all lonely and dark everywhere. 

Then God made the light. He said, Let there be light; and 
the light came. And God saw the light and was pleased with it, 










10 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


and he gave the light a name; he called it Day. And when the 
day was gone and the darkness came again to stay for a little 
while, he called that darkness Night. God did these things on 
the first day. 

And God made the clouds, and he made the sky up above the 
world where the clouds should be ; and he gave the sky a name; 
he called it Heaven. God did this on the second day. 

And God said that the waters should go into one place by 
themselves; and when they had gone into that one place, and 
were very deep and wide there, God gave the waters a name; 
he called them Seas, and the dry land he called Earth. And 
God made the grass to grow up out of the earth, and the bushes 
and the trees, that have fruit on them. And the grass and the 
bushes and the trees were to bear seeds so that, when those seeds 
were planted in the ground, some more grass, or other bushes or 
trees would grow there. God did these things on the third day. 

And God made two great lights, the sun to shine in the day, 
and the moon to shine in the night; he made the stars also. And 
he set the sun and the moon and the stars up in the sky, where 
we see them now. God did this on the fourth day. 

And he made the great whales, and all the fishes that swim 
about in the sea; and the birds also, some to fly over the water 
and swim upon it and live near it, like ducks and geese; and some 
to live all the time upon the land and in the woods, like eagles, 
robins, pigeons, and wrens. God made these on the fifth day. 

And God made the animals, those that are wild and that live 
out in the forest, such as elephants, lions, tigers, and bears; and 
those that are tame and useful to men, and that live where men 
live, such as horses, oxen, cows, and sheep. And he made the 
little insects that creep on the ground, and the flies that fly about 
in the air. 

And God made man and spoke kindly to him, and told him 
that he should be master over the fish of the sea, the birds of the 
air, and over every thing that was living on the earth. And 
God told man that the fruit which grew on the trees and on the 
bushes should be his food. The animals were given the grass and 
the leaves of the bushes to eat. 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


11 



And God looked at all the things he had made, and was pleased 
with them; and this was the sixth day. 

So the earth and the skies were finished in six days: the 
seventh day God rested from all his work, and the Bible tells us 
he sanctified the seventh day; that is, he separated it from the 
other days of the week and made it a holy day. 

Now we have been told how the earth and the skies were made; 
God made them. And he made every bush and every tree; for 
there had been no rain to make them grow, and no man to plant 
them ; but after God had planted them, the trees, the bushes, and 
the grass, took root and grew by themselves. 


THE GARDEN OF EDEN. 

And God made man out of the dust that lies on the ground; 
and he breathed into him, and then the man breathed, and moved, 
and was alive, because God had breathed into him. And the Lord 













12 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


God planted a garden for the man he had made. It was called 
the garden of Eden; in that garden God made to grow every 
tree that was beautiful to look at, and that bore fruit good to eat. 
A river flowed through the garden and watered it. 

And God took Adam, the man he had made, and put him into 
the garden to take care of it; God told him he might eat of the 
fruit of every tree in the garden except one; that one was called 
the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God said he must 
not eat of that tree, for if he did eat of it he should surely die. 

And God said it was not good that the man should be alone, 
therefore God made some one to be with him and help him. He 
caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleep¬ 
ing, God took out of his side a piece of bone, and of that bone 
he made a woman. And God brought the woman he had made 
to Adam, and she was his wife. 

And all the animals and the birds came to Adam ; God sent 
/hem to him that he might give them their names, and whatever 
Adam called each one was its name. 


CHAPTERS III.-Y. 

B. C. 4004-2348. 

THE SERPENT TEMPTS THE WOMAN TO EAT OF THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT, AND 
SHE TEMPTS HER HUSBAND. ADAM AND HIS WIFE ARE DRIVEN OUT 
OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN. CAIN AND ABEL ARE BORN. THEY BRING 
OFFERINGS TO GOD. CAIN KILLS ABEL. ENOCH AND METHUSELAH. 


"VTOW there was a serpent in the garden of Eden. And the 
-L' serpent spoke to the woman, yet not of itself; but Satan, 
that wicked Spirit who comes into our hearts and tempts us to 
sin, went into the serpent and tempted the woman to sin. The 
serpent asked her, Has God said you shall not eat of every tree 
in the garden ? The woman answered that they might eat of all 
the trees except one, but of it God had commanded them not to 
eat, lest they should die. Then the serpent told her they should 
not die, and that God had forbidden them to eat of the tree be¬ 
cause it would make them wise. 

The woman listened to what the serpent said, and when she 
saw that the tree was beautiful to look at, and that the fruit 



THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


13 


seemed good to eat, and remembered that the serpent had said it 
would make her wise, she took some of the fruit and did eat of 
it, and gave also to her husband and he did eat. 



ADAM AND EVE ARE DRIVEN OUT OF THE GARDEN. 

After they had eaten they heard a voice in the garden; they 
knew it was God’s voice, yet they did not come when they heard 
it. They were afraid, and hid themselves among the trees. But 
God spoke again, and called to Adam, saying, Where art thou ? 
Adam answered, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was 
afraid and hid myself. And God said, Hast thou eaten of the 
tree I commanded thee not to eat of? Then Adam began to 
make excuse, and blame the woman ; he said, The woman whom 
thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the fruit, and I did eat. 
And God said to the woman, What is this that thou hast done ? 
The woman answered, The serpent deceived me, and I did eat. 

And God was angry with Adam and the woman, and with the 










14 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


serpent. The serpent, he said, should be punished by having to 
crawl on the ground, with its mouth in the dust, all the days of 
its life. He told the woman also, she should have sickness and 
sorrow. And God drove Adam and his wife out of the beautiful 
garden, and would let them live there no longer. And he sent 
cherubim, or angels, that kept watch, and a fiery sword that 
turned every way, to prevent them from going into the garden 
again. And to Adam God said, that because he had listened to 
his wife’s voice, and eaten of the tree which the Lord command¬ 
ed him not to eat of, the ground should not any more bear fruit 
for him by itself, and without his labor, as it used to do in the 
garden of Eden, but it should send up thorns and thistles. And 
Adam would have to work very hard, as long as he lived, to raise 



ADAM AT LABOR. 


food to eat; and when he should die, God said, his body would 
go back to dust again, like the dust out of which the Lord had 
made him. 

Yet God prepared a way for Adam and his wife to be saved 
from any more punishment after they should be dead. They 








THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


15 


could not be saved from sorrow and trouble while they were 
living in this world, but after they should die, and their souls 
should go into the next world, God prepared a way for them not 
to be punished there. And this was the way: He promised to 
send a Saviour who would be punished in their place; so that, if 
Adam and his wife repented of their sin and believed in that 
Saviour, they would be forgiven, and, after they died, taken up 
to heaven, where they would be as happy as if they had never 
sinned at all. And this Saviour was not to be punished for them 
alone, but for their children also. For since Adam and his wife 
had sinned and made their own hearts wicked, their children 
would have wicked hearts too; because children must be of the 
same nature as their parents. 

Adam gave his wife a name; he called her Eve. And God 
made coats for them out of the skins of animals. 

After they had been driven out of the garden of Eden, God 
gave Adam and Eve two sons; the elder one was named Cain, 
the younger one Abel. When they grew up to be men, Cain 
was a farmer or gardener; Abel was a shepherd and kept a flock 
of sheep. And they both had wicked hearts, like their parents, 
which often caused them to sin. But Abel repented of his sins, 
and believed the promise which God had made to send a Saviour. 
And one day he brought a lamb from his flock and offered it to 
God. The way he offered it was to kill it first, and then burn it 
on an altar. An altar was a pile of stones, or earth, with a flat 
top, heaped up as high as a table. He put some wood on this 
altar, all cut and ready to burn; then laid the lamb, after it 
was killed, on the wood; next he set fire to the wood, and that 
burned up the lamb, so there was nothing left on the altar but 
ashes. 

God was pleased that Abel should worship him in this way, 
because the lamb that he brought was like the Saviour that God 
had promised. It was gentle and patient, and innocent, like 
him; and when Abel killed it, and offered it on the altar, it 
seemed like that Saviour who was coming, after many years, to 
die for his sins. The lamb meant the Saviour, or represented 
him, and therefore God was pleased with Abel and his offering. 


16 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


But Cain did not repent of his sins, nor believe God’s promise 
to send a Saviour; and when he brought his offering it was not 
a lamb, but some fruit, or grain, taken out of the field, or from 
the trees of his garden; and God was not pleased with Cain or 



CAIN AND ABEL OFFERING UP SACRIFICES. 


his offering. When Cain saw this, he was angry, and showed 
plainly, by his looks, that he was angry with God. Yet God 
spoke kindly to him, and asked why he w T as angry. If Cain 
did right, God said, he would be pleased with him; and if he 
did not do right, the fault was his own. 

And Cain hated Abel, because God w r as pleased with Abel’s 
offering, but not with his. And one day when they were out in 
the field together, he rose up and killed him; and the blood ran 
out of Abel’s wounds and sank into the ground. After Cain had 
done this, God spoke to him, and said, Where is Abel, thy bro¬ 
ther ? Cain answered, I know not. Am I my brother’s keeper ? 
Yet God saw all that Cain had done, and now, he said, as a pun- 















THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


17 


ishment for killing Abel, Cain should be a fugitive and a vaga¬ 
bond in the earth; that is, he should flee about the earth from 
one place to another, as a person who was always afraid, and 
who had no home to stay in. 

God said, also, that when Cain planted anything out in the 
field, to bear food, it should not grow well. It would die, or 
briars and weeds would come up and choke it, or it would bear 
leaves, but no fruit; so that Cain would have hardly enough to 
eat. Then Cain said, that as God had driven him away and 
would no longer take care of him, every one who should meet 
him would want to kill him. But God said that whoever killed 
Cain, should be punished with a very dreadful punishment; 
for God chose to punish Cain himself, and not that any man 
should punish him. 

And God set a mark on Cain. We are not told what sort of 
a mark it was, but it was something which other people could 
see; and when they saw it, they knew Cain, and remembered 
God’s command that no one should kill him. 

Adam lived a great many years after this, and God gave him 
other children beside Cain and Abel. But when he was nine 
hundred and thirty years old he died, and his body went to dust 
again, as God said it should when he ate of the forbidden fruit in 
the garden of Eden. Nine hundred and thirty years was a very 
long time for a man to live, but God allowed men to live much 
longer then than they do now. 

And Adam died, and his children, but their children lived 
still. We are told the names of some of the men who lived in 
those days. One of them was called Enoch. The Bible says 
of him that he walked with God. This means that he loved 
God, and remembered him all the time, as if he had been walk¬ 
ing beside him, with his hand in his, listening to what God 
said, and trying to please and obey him in every thing he did. 

After Enoch had lived three hundred and sixty-five years, 
God did a wonderful thing for him ; he took him up to heaven 
while he was alive. Enoch did not die like other men; but 
God took him up without his dying, just as if he were to take 
up one of us now. 

2 


18 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Enoch had a son named Methuselah, who, when he died, was 
nine hundred and sixty-nine years old. We are not told of any 
other man as old as this; therefore Methuselah is called the 
oldest man that ever lived. 


CHAPTERS VI.-IX. 

B. C. 2469-1998. 

THE PEOPLE GROW VERY WICKED. GOD SAYS HE WILL DESTROY THEM 
BY A FLOOD. HE COMMANDS NOAH TO BUILD AN ARK AND GO INTO 
IT. NOAH OBEYS. THE FLOOD DESTROYS EVERYTHING THAT LIVES 
ON THE DRY LAND. NOAH COMES OUT OF THE ARK AFTER THE FLOOD. 

A FTER a long while, when there came to be many more people 
living in the world, they grew very wicked. Their hearts 
were filled with sinful thoughts and all their acts were evil, for they 
did not care to please God, or even try to obey him. Therefore 
God was angry with them, and said he would punish them by 
sending a flood that should cover the earth with deep water, 
and drown all the people, the animals, the birds, and every thing 
that lived upon the ground. For almost all the people in the 
world were very wicked, and yet not quite all; there was one 
good man whose name was Noah. The Bible tells us he was a 
just man, and that he walked with God, as Enoch did. There¬ 
fore God loved Noah, and told him of the flood he was going 
to send. 

And God commanded Noah to build an ark. This was a great 
boat. It was to be very large, with rooms in it, and a window, 
and a great door in its side, and was to be three stories high. 
And God told Noah that when the ark was finished, he and his 
sons and their wives should go into it. And he commanded Noah 
to take in with him some of every kind of beast, and of every 
kind of bird, and of every kind of insect, to keep them alive 
while the flood should be on the earth ; for all that were not in 
the ark would be drowned. 

Then Noah began to build the ark. It took him a great 
while to build it, perhaps more than a hundred years; but, 
as we have read, men lived much longer then than they do 
now. And Noah not only worked at building the ark—the 



W-mtm 



CAIN KILLS ABEL 













20 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Bible says be was a preacher; he used to speak to the people 
about God, and about the punishment that was coming upon 
them for their sins. But they would not repent, nor believe 
what he told them; so that he had to hear their wicked words 
and see their wicked acts all the time he was building the ark. 
Yet he worked on patiently, until at last he finished it as God 
had commanded him. 

Then God spoke to Noah and told him to come, with all his 
family, into the ark; for God said he had seen him to be a good 
man among all those wicked men who were living on the earth. 
And God told Noah to bring the birds and the beasts also with 
him into the ark, for in seven days he would send the rain on the 
earth, and every thing that was living on the dry land should be 
drowned. And Noah did as God commanded. He was six 
hundred years old when the flood came on the earth. And he 

went with his wife, and his 
three sons and their wives, 
into the ark, and took 
the beasts, the birds, and 
the insects, in with him. 
When they were all safe 
inside, God shut them in. 

After seven days the 
rain began, and it rained 
without stopping, forty 
days and forty nights. 
The Bible says the win¬ 
dows of heaven were 
opened ; this means that 
the rain came down not 
only in little drops, as 

ENTERING THE ARK. WC gee ft COmej ft 

came as if poured out of great windows up in the sky. And 
the springs, the creeks, the rivers and the great ocean, all began 
to rise up and overflow the land. After a while the water came 
to where the ark was, underneath and around it; it rose higher 
and higher till the ark floated and was lifted up from the place 







THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


21 


where Noah had been building it so long, and the ground every¬ 
where began to be covered. 

What now were those men to do who would not obey God, nor 
listen to the preaching of Noah ? Before the rain came they 
thought there would be no flood, and that Noah wanted only to 
make them afraid. Now the flood had come, and they saw that 
all he had told them was true. How glad they would have been 
to go with him into the ark, but it was too late. No doubt they 
climbed up to the highest places on the hills and mountains; but 
the hills and mountains were covered at last; there was no other 
place for them to go, and all the people in the world, except those 
few in the ark, were drowned. And every beast and bird and 



THE FLOOD. 


little insect, except those in the ark, were drowned also. Then 
all the earth was covered with water. There was no land to be 
seen anywhere; only the ark could be seen floating alone, with 
the water all around it and the sky above. 

But God remembered Noah, and took care of him and of those 







22 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


who were with him, through all that dreadful storm. He kept 
the ark safe till the rain stopped, and the waters began to flow 
back again into the seas and rivers and springs underground, 
where they were before the flood. 

After Noah had been in the ark a hundred and fifty days, the 
waters were gone down so much that the ark rested on the top of a 
mountain called Ararat. There it stood, resting on the top of the 

mountain, for more 
than two months. 
By that time the 
waters were lower 
still, and the tops 
of other mountains 
could be seen peep¬ 
ing above them. 

And Noah opened 
the window of the 
ark and let a raven 
go; and the raven 
flew about over the 
water and roosted at night on the tops of the mountains, or on the 
roof of the ark, but never came back to Noah again. Then Noah 
sent out another bird; it was a dove. He sent it that it might fly 
off and see whether the waters had left the ground dry yet. But 
they had not left it dry. Although the tops of the mountains 
were not covered, the rest of the ground was; and the dove found 
no pleasant place with trees and flowers, where she would like 
to stay away from her mate; so she came back to the window 
of the ark, and Noah put out his hand and took her in. 

Then Noah waited seven days longer and sent her out again* 
and in the evening she came back to him as before, but this time 
with a leaf in her mouth, plucked off from an olive tree. When 
Noah saw the leaf, he knew that the waters must have gone down 
greatly, or the dove could not have found it. God had taught 
the dove to pluck that leaf and carry it to Noah, so that he might 
know the ground would soon be dry. And he waited another 
seven days and sent the dove forth once more; but she did not 



THE TOPS OF THE MOUNTAINS APPEAR. 








THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


23 


come back to him again. For by this time no doubt the woods 
were pleasant to fly about in, much pleasanter than the ark 
where she had been shut up so long. And beside, God kept the 
dove from going back to Noah, so that he might be sure it was 
almost time for him to come out of the ark. 

And Noah looked and saw that the ground was dry. And 
God spoke to him, and told him, to come out of the ark, and to 
bring out also, his wife and his sons and their wives, and the 
animals, the birds, and the insects, that had been in the ark 
with him. So Noah came out and brought every living thing, 
and they walked on the dry ground. And Noah built an altar, 



NOAH RECEIVES THE DOVE. 


as Abel had done, and offered up animals and birds upon it to 
the Lord, who had saved him and his family from the flood 
while all the other people in the world were drowned. 













































































24 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



And God spoke kindly to Noah and his sons, and said they 
should be masters over every thing living on the earth : and God 
told them they might kill the animals for food. He had given 
Adam only the fruits which grew on the trees and the bushes, 
for food; but now, after the flood, he said that men might kill 
and eat any animal they chose. 

And God promised that he would never send another flood on 
the earth to drown all the people as this one had done. And he 


NOAH OFFERS UP A SACRIFICE. 

gave Noah a token, that was, something to make him remember 
and believe God’s promise, so that he never need be afraid of a 
flood any more. This token was a beautiful thing, and God set 
it up in the sky, where Noah could often see it, and as often as 
he should see it he would think of God’s promise. The token 
that God gave Noah was the rainbow. 

Noah lived after the flood many years: but when he was nine 
hundred and fifty years old he died. 














THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


25 


CHAPTERS XI.-XVII. 

B. C. 2247-1898. 

THE PEOPLE BEGIN TO BUILD THE TOWER OF BABEL; THEY ARE MADE 
TO SPEAK IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, AND ARE SCATTERED OVER 
THE EARTH. ABRAM AND LOT COME INTO THE LAND OF CANAAN. 
LOT GOES TO LIVE ON THE PLAIN OF JORDAN. ISAAC IS PROMISED. 
ISHMAEL IS BORN. 

ND God gave to Noah’s sons children of their own. They, 
when they grew up, had children too, so that after a while 
there came to be a great many people in the world once more. 

Now we should think that these people would have been very 
careful not to offend God. They knew how the men who had 
offended him before were punished, and though God had prom¬ 
ised never to send another flood, there were many other ways in 
which he might punish them. He might send sickness upon 
them, or give them no food, and leave them to starve; or he 
might send down fire from heaven to burn them. But they 
seemed to forget this, and as their hearts were wicked, they went 
on as the men before the flood had done, sinning against him. 

There was only one language in the world then. The people 
all talked alike, and could all understand each other; and as 
they journeyed from the east they came to a plain in the land 
of Shinar, and stopped there. And they said one to another, 
Let us make brick and build a tower whose top may reach up to 
heaven. And they began to build 
it. We are not told why they 
wanted to build this tower. But 
God, who saw their hearts, knew 
that it was for some wicked purpose. 

Perhaps they did not believe God’s 
promise, that he would never send 
another flood on the earth, and 
thought, if he should send one, this 
tower would be so high that the 
waters could not overflow it, and 
they would climb up into it and be safe. Or perhaps they built it 
as a sort of temple, or church, not to worship God in, but idols. 
And the Lord came down from heaven to see the tower which 










26 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the people were building, and he saw it and was displeased. 
Then he did a wonderful thing to stop them. He made them, 
all at once, begin to speak in different languages, such as they 
had never spoken before. They could not go on building now, 
because they were not able to understand each other’s words. 
Therefore they had to cease building before the tower was done. 
After that they would not all of them wish to live together 
any more. Only those would wish to live together who talked 
the same language, and they would go off to some place where 
they could be by themselves. This is the way that people, at 
first, were separated from one another and came to live in dif¬ 
ferent parts of the world. 

The tower which they tried to build, but which God would 
not allow them to finish, was called the tower of Babel. Babel 
means confusion. When the people began to talk in different 
languages, so that they could not understand each other, it made 
confusion there. Therefore this tower was called the tower of 
Babel. 

Many years after these things, there lived in the land of Ur a 
man named Abram. The people of that land worshipped idols. 
And God told Abram to leave his home and his relations, and 
go to another land which he would show him. Abram did not 
know what land it was, yet he left his friends and his home 
as he was commanded to do. For he had faith; he believed 
that God would bring him to the land he had told him of. 

Abram was seventy-five years old: and he took his wife, 
whose name was Sarai, and his brother’s son, whose name was 
Lot, and they started to go to the land which God had promised 
to show him. It was a long journey there; he had to cross over 
wide rivers and a desert, where the country was lonely and wild. 
Yet God took care of him and of those who were with him, and 
brought them safely to the promised land. It was called the 
land of Canaan. 

And Abram came to a place in Canaan called Shechem. 
While he was there God spoke to him and told him he would 
give all the land of Canaan to his descendants. Abram’s de¬ 
scendants were his children and his children’s children, who 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS . 


27 


should live long after Abram himself was dead. They were to 
live in the land of Canaan, and it was to be their land. And 
Abram built an altar at Shechem. Afterward he left Shechem 
and came to a mountain, and there built another altar and 
offered up a sacrifice to the Lord. 

And he went on journeying through the land. Other people 
were living there then, but God kept them from doing him any 
harm. And there was a famine in the land. It is a famine in 
any place when the grass and the corn will not grow there, so 
that the people have nothing for themselves or their cattle to eat. 
And now there was a famine in Canaan. Therefore Abram 
went into another country called Egypt, and Lot, his brother’s 
son, went with him. Egypt was a good way from Canaan. 
Abram did not go there to stay, but only to wait till the famine 
should be over in Canaan, and after it was over he and Lot re¬ 
turned again. And they came to Shechem, where Abram had 
first built an altar in the land; and there, again, he offered up a 
sacrifice to the Lord. 

Now Abram was very rich: he had much silver and gold and 
a great many cattle. Lot had cattle, too—herds of cattle and 
tents; for he and Abram did not live in houses, but in tents. 
It was better for them to live in tents than in houses like ours, 
because they moved so much oftener than we do. After they 
had been long enough in one place for their cattle to eat up the 
grass there, they left it and went to another. Then they took 
down their tents and carried them wherever they went. Beside, 
they did not need houses as we do, because it was never so cold 
in that country as it is here. 

Abram and Lot had, each of them, a great many cattle, and 
they had men called herdsmen to take care of their cattle; and 
these men quarrelled. Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen 
quarrelled with each other. When Abram heard this, he spoke 
to Lot about it. And how did he speak ? Did he say, This is 
my land; God has given it to me, and you must move away 
somewhere else? No; he spoke kindly to Lot, and said, Let 
there be no strife between me and thee, and between my herds¬ 
men and thy herdsmen. Then Abram told Lot he might go to 


28 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


any part of the land that he chose to live in, and Abram said 
he would go to another part. 

And Lot chose the plain of Jordan. The Jordan is a river, 
and the plain of Jordan was the level country through which 
the river flowed. Then Lot took his cattle and his herdsmen 
and went away from Abram to live on the plain of Jordan. 
And some cities were there; one of them was named Sodom. 
The men of Sodom were very wicked, yet Lot went to live in 
that city. He was not a wicked man himself, he served God; 
but he went to live among wicked men, because there he might 
have better pasture for his cattle and so increase his riches. He 
should not have done this, and we shall see afterward how much 
trouble it caused him. 

After Lot had gone, the Lord spoke to Abram and told him 
he would give all that land, as far as he could see it, to him and 
to his descendants. And God said he would make Abram’s 
descendants so many that no one could count them. Then 
Abram moved his tent and came to a place called Hebron, and 
there he built an altar to the Lord. This made three altars he 
had built since he came into Canaan; so we see, as he journeyed 
from one place to another, he loved to have an altar near him 
that he might offer up sacrifices and worship the Lord. 

And there was war on the plain of Jordan. Four kings 
came there with an army, and fought against the city of Sodom 
where Lot lived, and they gained the victory. Then they went 
into the houses and carried off the spoil, that is, food and money 
and clothing, and everything that they wanted. They took some 
of the people, and Lot also, away with them as captives, or slaves. 
When Abram heard of it, he gathered his servants together and 
followed after them. The Bible tells us he had three hundred 
and eighteen servants. This was a large number for one person 
to have, but Abram owned great flocks of sheep and herds of cat¬ 
tle and camels, and he needed many servants to take care of them. 
And beside his servants some of the men of the land who were 
his friends, went with him to help him against the four kings. 

And he came up with them and fought with them, and God 
gave him the victory. Then he took all the captives and the 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


29 



spoil which they had carried away, and brought them back to 
Sodom. As he was coming there Melchizedek, the king of a 
city called Salem, who was also a minister of God, came out to 
meet Abram, bringing him bread and wine. And Melchizedek 
blessed Abram, that is, he asked that God might bless him and 


MELCHIZEDEK BLESSES ABRAHAM. 

be good to him; and he thanked God for giving Abram the vic¬ 
tory. And Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth part of all the 
things he had taken from his enemies. When the king of Sodom 
saw how Abram had brought back the captives which the four 
kings had carried away, he said to him, Give the captives to me 
that I may send them to their own homes again, but keep the 
spoil for thyself. But Abram said he had made a promise to 









30 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


God not to keep anything for himself. The men who had gone 
with him to help him might take their share of the spoil, he 
said, but he would take nothing. 

After this God spoke to Abram and told him, that he was his 
friend. But Abram said that God had never given him a child. 
Then God promised to give him a son. And he brought Abram 
out and told him to look up at the stars as they shone in the 
sky, and asked him whether he could count them. And God said 
that Abram’s descendants should be as those stars, so many they 
could not be counted. God told Abram also that his descend¬ 
ants should live in another country that was not theirs, and 
that the people would treat them cruelly for many years. Yet 
God said he would punish the people who treated them so, and 
afterward would bring Abram’s descendants out of that land 
with great riches. But this was not to happen until long after 
Abram was dead, for God told him he should live to be an old 
man and should die in peace. 

And Sarai, Abram’s wife, had a handmaid; that is, a woman 
who was her servant. The woman’s name was Hagar; she 
came from Egypt, perhaps when Abram came from that country 
after there had been a famine in Canaan. But Hagar displeased 
her mistress Sarai, and Sarai was angry with her and punished 
her. Then Hagar fled into the lonely wilderness where no one 
lived, so that she might not be punished again. 

And the angel of the Lord found her there by a spring of 
water; and he asked where she came from and to what place she 
was going. She answered that she had fled from her mistress 
Sarai. Then the angel told her to go back to her mistress and 
obey what she said to her; he told Hagar also that she should 
have a son whose name should be Ishmael, and that he would be 
a wild man: he would fight against other men, and other men 
would fight against him. So Hagar went back to Sarai, and 
afterward God gave her a son whose name was called Ishmael. 

When Abram was ninety-nine years old God talked with him 
again, and Abram bowed down with his face to the ground while 
God talked with him. And God told him again that his de¬ 
scendants should be very many, and some of them, he said, 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


31 

should be kings. And God made a covenant, or agreement, 
with Abram and his descendants, and said that he would be 
their God. And he promised again to give them the land of 
Canaan for their own land. And he said to Abram, Thy name 
shall not any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be 
Abraham; which means the Father of a great many people. 
And Sarai’s name, he said, should be Sarah, which means 
Princess. So the Lord changed both their names. And he 
promised again to give Abraham and Sarah a son, whose name 
should be Isaac. Then, after the Lord was done talking with 
him, he went up from Abraham toward heaven. 


CHAPTERS XVIII.-XXL 

B. O. 1898-1891. 

THE LORD SENDS TWO ANGELS TO DESTROY SODOM AND GOMORRAH. LOT 
AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS ARE SAVED, BUT HIS WIFE IS CHANGED 
INTO A PILLAR OF SALT. ISAAC IS BORN. ABRAHAM SENDS HAGAR 
AND ISHMAEL AWAY. THE KING OF GERAR AND ABRAHAM MAKE A 
COVENANT TOGETHER. 

BRAHAM was sitting one day at his tent-door, in the hot 
part of the day. And he looked up and saw three men 
standing near him. Then he ran out to meet them and bowed 
down before them toward the ground, for so they used to wel¬ 
come strangers in that land. 

And Abraham asked the men 
to rest under the tree, and to 
let some water be brought that 
they might wash their feet. 

In those days people did 
not wear shoes such as we 
wear now: they went with 
bare feet, or else wore sandals. 

Sandals were like the soles of 
our shoes, and were tied on 
with strings. They kept the 
feet from being hurt by sharp 
stones, but did not keep off the dust and dirt as shoes do. There- 



EASTERN SALUTATIONS. 





32 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


fore it was pleasant for a person, after he had been walking on a 
warm day, to take off his sandals and wash his feet in cool water. 
And Abraham asked these three men to have water that they 



ABRAHAM WAITS ON THE ANGELS UNDER THE TREE. 


might wash their feet. lie said he would bring them some bread 
also; and they told him to do as he said. 

And Abraham made haste into the tent to Sarah, and told 











THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


33 


her to bake some cakes quickly. And he ran to the herd and 
brought a calf that was tender and good, and had it killed. 
Then he took butter and milk, and the calf that had been 
cooked, and set it before the men, and they did eat, and Abra¬ 
ham stood by them to wait on them, under the tree. After they 
had eaten, they rose up and went toward the city of Sodom, and 
Abraham walked w T ith them. 

And yet, although we call them men, these three persons were 
not men. Two of them, we believe, were angels, and the other 
one was the Lord. You may ask, Could it be the Lord who 
looked and talked like a man ? Yes, for he could come down 
to this world in the form of a man. And further on in the Bible 
we read, several times, of his coming, and staying for a little 
while, and speaking to men. And long afterward, he came and 
stayed many years, and walked about on the earth as a man, 
and made sick people well, and dead people alive, and died on 
the cross for our sins, and then went up to heaven again. 

And now the Lord was going to send his angels to burn up 
Sodom and Gomorrah. Gomorrah was another city near to Sod¬ 
om ; the Lord was going to burn up both these cities, because 
the people who lived there were so wicked. And he was willing 
to tell Abraham what he would do; for Abraham loved God, 
and obeyed him, and taught his family to obey him. But when 
Abraham heard that Sodom, the city where Lot lived, was to be 
burned up, he felt grieved; for he feared that Lot might be 
burned up also. And he spoke to the Lord, and said, that per¬ 
haps there w^ere some righteous persons living in the city, and 
he asked whether the righteous should be destroyed with the 
wicked. The Lord answered that if there were fifty righteous 
persons in the city, he would not destroy it. Then Abraham 
said perhaps there might be a few less than fifty; there might 
be forty-five. The Lord told him that if there were but ten 
righteous persons in Sodom, he would not destroy it. 

When the Lord was done talking with Abraham, he went 
from him, and Abraham came back to his tent. 

And Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom in the evening. 
For in that country the cities had walls around them, to keep out 
3 


34 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


robbers, or any enemies who might come to do the people harm. 
And these walls had gates which were shut at night, or whenever 
there was danger. Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom, and two 
angels came there, but they looked like men. They were, we sup¬ 
pose, the same that had been with the Lord at Abraham’s tent. 
When Lot saw them he rose up to meet them, and bowed down 
with his face toward the ground. And he asked them to come 
into his house and stay there all night, and to wash their feet; 
in the morning, he said, they should go on their journey. They 
answered, No, we will stay in the street all night. But Lot 
begged them, until they consented; so they came, and he set out 
food for them, and they did eat. 

Afterward they asked whether he had any sons or daughters 
in the city, beside those who were with him in the house; if he 
had, the angels said, he should go and take them out of Sodom, 
for the Lord had sent them to destroy it. Then Lot went and 
found his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said 
to them, Up, get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy 
the city. But they would not believe his words, and Lot went 
back to his own home without them. 

When it was morning the angels said to him, Arise, take thy 
wife, and thy two daughters, and make haste away, lest you be 
burned up with the wicked people of the city. And because Lot 
stayed a little while, perhaps to save something out of his house, 
the angels caught hold of his hand, and of his wife’s hand, and 
of his two daughters’ hands, and brought them out of Sodom. 
After they were brought out, they were commanded not to stay 
near, nor go slowly away, but to go very quickly, that they might 
not be burned. They were commanded not even to look behind 
them, but to make haste to the mountain where the fire could 
not reach them. 

Now there was another city near Sodom, named Zoar; it was 
a little one. And Lot prayed that it might not be destroyed, 
because he would rather go there than up on the lonely moun¬ 
tain, where wild beasts or wicked men might kill him. There¬ 
fore God did not destroy that city. And Lot and his daughters 
fled toward Zoar, but his wife looked back toward Sodom, which 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


35 


she had been commanded not to do, and she died there because 
she looked back; and she was turned into a pillar of salt. But 



LOT FLEES FROM SODOM. 


Lot came to Zoar, he and his daughters; the sun was risen up 
when they entered into Zoar. 

Then the Lord rained down fire and brimstone out of heaven 
upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and destroyed those cities, and all 
the plain where they stood, and the people who lived in them, 
and the things which grew on the ground. Yet he saved Lot 
and his two daughters alive, though his wife died for her dis¬ 
obedience. But of all his riches that he took with him when he 
went from Abraham, we are not told that Lot had anything left. 

Early the next morning Abraham went out from his tent and 
looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and he saw the smoke 
going up from the place where they had stood, like the smoke of 
a great furnace, but those wicked cities were not there. Then 
Abraham knew that God did not find even ten righteous per- 










36 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


sons in Sodom, because he had promised that if he found them, 
he would not destroy the city. 

And Abraham moved away to another part of the land of 
Canaan, named Gerar, where a people called the Philistines 
lived. And the king of Gerar gave Abraham a present of 
sheep and oxen, and also men-servants, and maid-servants, to 
wait on him and work for him. And the king told Abraham 
he might live in any part of the land he chose. 

And God gave to Abraham and Sarah the son he had promised 
them, and Abraham called his name Isaac, as God had com¬ 
manded. Abraham was one hundred years old when Isaac was 
born; and he and Sarah were glad, because God had given them 
a son. And the child grew, and when he came to be a larger 
boy, Abraham made him a feast. And Sarah saw Ishmael, Ha- 
gar’s son, mocking Isaac. Therefore Sarah was displeased with 
Ishmael, and she asked Abraham to send him and his mother 
away. But Abraham did not wish to send them away, and it 
troubled him when Sarah asked him to do this. Then God 
spoke to Abraham and told him to do as Sarah had said. So 
he rose up early in the morning and took bread, and a bottle 
of water, and gave them to Hagar, Ishmael’s mother. 

The bottles of that country were what w T e would call sacks, or 
bags. They were made of goat-skins, folded over and sewed 
tightly together around the edges, except at the neck, which 
was left open for the water to pass through. And when Abra¬ 
ham had given Hagar some bread, and a bottle of water, put¬ 
ting this on her shoulder, he sent her and her son away. 

Then Hagar took her boy and went into the wilderness. And 
when all the water in the bottle was gone, and they had no more 
to drink, the child grew weak, and Hagar thought he would 
die. And she laid him under a bush, in the shade, and went 
a little way off and sat down and wept, for she did not want to 
see her boy die. And God heard her weeping; and the angel 
of God called to her out of heaven and said, What aileth thee, 
Hagar ? Then the angel told her not to be afraid, but to lift 
up Ishmael from the place where she had laid him, and to hold 
him in her arms. And God showed her a well of water that 



ABRAHAM SENDS HAGAR AWAY 














38 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 

was there in the wilderness, and she went to it and filled the 
bottle and gave her son drink, and he became strong and well 
again. After this God was kind to Ishmael, and he grew and 
lived in the wilderness and was an archer ; he shot with a bow 
and arrow. And his mother took a wife for him out of the land 
of Egypt, where she used to live. 


THE ANGEL SPEAKS TO HAGAR. 

Now the king of the Philistines, in whose land Abraham was 
staying, saw that God was kind to Abraham and was his friend. 
Therefore he came and asked Abraham to promise that he would 
never do him, or his children, any harm. And Abraham prom¬ 
ised that he would not; yet he found fault with the king because 
some of his servants had taken away a well of water which Abra¬ 
ham’s servants had digged. For the rivers and streams did not 
run through the fields in that country as they do in ours. Peo¬ 
ple had to dig in the ground to find water, and when they had 
found it, and made a well, that well belonged to them, and they 
valued it and did not like to have it taken from them. 

And now Abraham said that the king’s servants had taken 





THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


39 


away his well. But the king answered that he did not know 
who had done it and that he had never heard of it before. Then 
Abraham took seven lambs from his flock and set them in a 
place by themselves. When the king saw them, he asked why 
they were there. Abraham replied that those seven lambs were 
for the king that he might take them and keep them for his 
own, to make him remember that it was Abraham who had 
digged that well. 

So the king and Abraham made an agreement, or covenant, 
together, to be friends with each other. And Abraham called 
the name of the place Beer-sheba, which means, the well of the 
oath, or promise; because there, he and the king had promised 
that they would do each other no harm. And Abraham planted 
a tree at Beer-sheba, perhaps to give a pleasant shade about the 
well. And there he worshipped the Lord. And he stayed in 
the land of the Philistines many days. 


CHAPTERS XXII.-XXV. 

B. C. 1872-1805. 


GOD COMMANDS ABRAHAM TO OFFER UP ISAAC. ABRAHAM MAKES 
READY TO OBEY, BUT IS FORBIDDEN BY THE ANGEL. SARAH DIES 
AND IS BURIED. ABRAHAM’S SERVANT IS SENT TO FIND A WIFE FOR 
ISAAC. ABRAHAM DIES. JACOB AND ESAU ARE BORN. ESAU SELLS 
HIS BIRTHRIGHT. 

W E have read that Abel offered up a lamb to God, and that 
God was pleased with him for offering it. Noah also of¬ 
fered burnt offerings after he came out of the ark, and Abraham 
himself had built three altars in the land of Canaan and offered 
sacrifices upon them all. 

But one day God spoke to Abraham, and said, Abraham. 
He answered, Here am I. Then God said, Take now thy son, 
thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee unto the 
land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon 
one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. Yes, Abraham 
was commanded to offer up Isaac upon an altar; to kill him 
and lay him on the wood, and let him be burned up, as if he 
had been a lamb. How could Abraham do this ? How could 
he kill his own dear son? Yet God told him to do it; Abraham 



40 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


heard him speak. He knew that he should do whatever God 
said, and he knew also that even if Isaac were killed and burned 
on the altar, so that nothing was left but his ashes, God could 
take those ashes and make him alive again as he had been before. 

So Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his 
ass and took two young men, who were his servants, with him, 
and the wood, ready cut to lay on the altar, and Isaac his son; 
and he started to go to the mountain which God had told him 
of. And he journeyed that day and the next, and did not come 
to the place; but on the day after, he looked up and saw it a 



ABRAHAM OFFERS UP ISAAC. 


good way off. Then he told the young men they need go no 
farther. He and Isaac, Abraham said, would go to the moun¬ 
tain and worship and come back to them again ; for he did not 
wish them to see him offer up his son. And he left the ass with 
the young men, but took Isaac with him, and Isaac carried the 
wood. Abraham took some fire also to light the wood, and he 
carried a knife in his hand; and he and Isaac went on together. 














THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


41 


Now Isaac did not know what God had commanded his father 
to do, or what his father was taking him to the mountain for. 
He knew they were going to offer up a burnt offering, for they 
had the wood to burn it with, and the knife to kill it; but he 
did not know that he was to be that burnt offering himself. So, 
as they walked together, he said to his father, My father, see the 
fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering ? 
Abraham answered, My son, God will find himself a lamb for a 
burnt offering. 

And they came to the place which God had told him of; 
there Abraham built an altar and laid the wood on it. And he 
bound Isaac and laid him on the wood; and Abraham put out 
his hand and took hold of the knife to kill his son. But just 
then the angel of the Lord called to him out of heaven, and 
said Abraham, Abraham. He answered, Here am I. And the 
angel told him not to hurt Isaac, for now he knew that Abra¬ 
ham feared God, because he was willing to offer up his only 
son when God commanded him. And Abraham looked and 
saw behind him a ram caught fast in the bushes by its horns. 
God had sent it there for a burnt offering instead of Isaac; and 
Abraham took it and killed it, and offered it up on the altar. 

And God was pleased with Abraham; and the angel of the 
Lord spoke to him again out of heaven, and told him that be¬ 
cause he had obeyed God, and been willing to offer up his son, 
God would bless him. And the angel promised him that his de¬ 
scendants should be like the grains of sand on the sea-shore, which 
no one can count, there are so many of them. The angel said to 
him, also, In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. 
This meant that the Saviour whom God had promised, should be 
descended from Abraham. So Abraham brought Isaac and 
came to the young men who were waiting for him, and they 
went back together to Beer-sheba where Abraham lived. 

After these things Abraham left Beer-sheba and came to He¬ 
bron. And Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was a hundred and twenty- 
seven years old, and she died there in the land of Canaan. Then 
Abraham mourned and wept for her. And he spoke to the peo¬ 
ple of that country, and asked them for a place where he might 


42 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


bury Sarah. They answered that he might bury her in any of 
their sepulchres that he chose. 

Sepulchres are places in which dead persons are buried. In 
that country they were made by hollowing out a cave in the side 
of a rock. After this was finished, a great stone was rolled 
against the door to shut it up. When any one died the stone 
was taken away and the dead person was laid in the cave. 
Then the stone was put back again and the cave shut up, until 
some one else was to be buried there. It was very kind in the 
men of that country to tell Abraham he might bury his wife in 
any of their sepulchres. But this was not what he wanted; ho 
wanted a sepulchre of his own. 

And there was a man in that land whose name was Ephron. 
He owned a field; this field had trees in it, and at one end of it 
was a cave. Abraham thought he would like to have that cave 
for his sepulchre. So he asked the people to tell Ephron that he 
wanted it, and would give him money for it. When Ephron 



heard this he said 
that Abraham might 
have the cave for 
nothing, and not the 
cave only, he w r ould 
give him the field 
also. 


But Abraham 
bowed himself down 
before Ephron and 
the men who were 
with him, and an¬ 
swered, that he 
would rather buy 
the field and pay 
for it; he did not 
want to take it for 


BURIAL OF SARAH. 


nothing. Then Ephron said he was willing to sell it; and Abra¬ 
ham gave him four hundred shekels of silver for the field, and 
the trees that were in it, and the cave. Shekels were money; so 




THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


43 


Abraham paid for the field, and the trees, and the cave, and 
they were his own after that. And he made the cave his sepul¬ 
chre, and there he buried Sarah. 

And Abraham was old, and the Lord had blessed him in all 
things. And when Isaac was grown up to be a man, Abraham, 
his father, did not wish him to take a wife from the women who 
lived in the land of Canaan, for they worshipped idols. He 
wanted Isaac to have his wife from that country where Abra¬ 
ham used to live, and where he had relations still living who 
feared the Lord. 

Now that country was a long way from Canaan ; so Abraham 
called his oldest servant, who took care of his silver and gold, 
his flocks and his herds, and all that he had, and asked him to 
promise that he would go to that country and bring back from 
there a wife for Isaac. Then the servant said that, perhaps, the 
woman would not be willing to come. But Abraham told him 
that God would send an angel before him, to help him, and that 
he would be able to find there a wife for Isaac. Yet if the 
woman should not be willing to come, Abraham said, he would 
excuse the servant from his promise. And the servant promised 
to do as Abraham commanded. 

So he took ten of Abraham’s camels and some beautiful pres¬ 
ents, and went on his journey to the land where Abraham had 
sent him. And he came near to a city in that land, and made 
his camels kneel down by a well of water that was just outside 
of the city. Camels are used in that country to ride upon, as 
horses are here; they carry heavy loads also on their backs, and 
go a long way without resting. Before they start upon a journey 
they kneel down to have their loads put on them, and when they 
come to the end of it, they kneel down to have them taken off. 

It was evening, the time when the women of the city came out 
to draw water from the well. Then Abraham’s servant prayed 
that God would help him, and make him know which of those 
young women that came to draw water, should be Isaac’s wife. 
But how would the servant know ? In this way. He was going 
to ask one of them to give him some water out of her pitcher. 
If she answered him kindly and said, Drink, and I will give thy 


44 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


camels drink also, then she was to be the one whom God had 
chosen for Isaac’s wife. But if she answered unkindly and 
would give him no water, she was not to be the one. 

So while he was praying, a beautiful young woman, named 
Rebekah, came out of the city, carrying her pitcher upon her 
shoulder, and she went down to the well and filled it with water 
and came up again. And the servant ran to meet her and said, 
Let me drink a little water out of thy pitcher; she answered, 
Drink, and I will draw water for thy camels also. And she let 
down her pitcher from her shoulder and gave the man drink; 
afterward she ran to the well and drew water for the camels, 



ABRAHAM’S SERVANT MEETS REBEKAH. 


and they drank too. Then the servant stood still, wondering 
whether she was the one whom God had chosen to be Isaac’s 
wife or not. 

After the camels had done drinking, the man took an earring 
of gold and two bracelets of gold, and gave them to Rebekah. 














THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


45 


And he asked whose daughter she was, and whether there was 
room at her father’s house for him and the men who were with 
him, to sleep there. Then Rebekah told him that she was the 
daughter of Bethuel; she said also, that they had room at their 
house, and food and straw for the camels. When the servant 
heard that she was Bethuel’s daughter, he knew she was one of 
Abraham’s relations, for Abraham was Bethuel’s uncle. And 
he was glad, and bowed down his head and worshipped the Lord, 
and thanked him for helping him to find his master’s relations 
who lived so far away. 

Then Rebekah left the servant and ran to her home and told 
her mother about all these things. And she had a brother 
whose name was Laban. When Laban heard what she said, 
and saw the earring and the bracelets, he ran out of the city to 
the man, and found him standing by his camels at the well. 
And Laban asked him to come to their house, and said he had 
made it ready for him, and that there was room for the camels. 
And the man went with Laban, and Laban helped him to un¬ 
load the camels, and gave him straw and food for them, and he 
gave the men water to wash their feet. Afterward there was 
food set before Abraham’s servant that he might eat. But he 
said he would not eat until he had told them what he came to 
their country for. 

Then he said that he was Abraham’s servant, and that the 
Lord had blessed Abraham and made him great. He had given 
him silver and gold, and flocks, and herds, and camels, and 
asses; and he had given him a son also. And all his riches, the 
servant said, Abraham had given to his son Isaac. And he told 
them that Abraham had sent him into their country to find a 
wife for Isaac. And he had come to the well that day, and 
prayed that God would make him know which was the young 
woman who should be Isaac’s wife; he had prayed that she 
might answer him kindly when he should ask her for a little 
water to drink, and so he would know that she was the one. 
And while he was praying, he said, Rebekah came out, and 
when he asked her for drink, she answered him kindly, saying, 
Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. 


46 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


Then the servant asked them whether they would let Rebekah 
go home with him to be Isaac’s wife or not. They answered that 
it was the Lord who had done all these things, Rebekah might 
go. When the servant heard this he was glad, and bowed him¬ 
self down to the ground and worshipped the Lord. Afterward 
he brought out more beautiful presents, jewels of silver, and 
jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah. And 
he gave her mother and her brother presents also. Then he did 
eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and they 
stayed at Laban’s house all night. 

When they rose up in the morning, Abraham’s servant wanted 
to take Rebekah and go on his way back to the land of Canaan. 



REBEKAH SEES ISAAC IN THE FIELD. 

But her mother and her brother did not wish to part with her 
so soon; they said, Let her stay with us a few days, at least ten, 
after that she shall go. But the man begged them not to keep 
him, because, he said, the Lord had helped him to do what his 
master sent him for; therefore he wanted to make haste home to 









THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


47 


his master again. They said, We will call Rebekah, and ask 
her. And they called her and asked, Wilt thou go with this 
man ? She answered, I will go. So they sent away Rebekah, 
and her nurse went with her, and they rode on the camels after 
Abraham’s servant. 

And they came into the land of Canaan. It was toward even¬ 
ing, about the time the sun goes down, when they came to the 
place where Isaac was. And Isaac had gone out into the field 
to walk there, and think by himself alone. Perhaps he wondered 
whether the servant would soon be back, and whether the Lord 
had helped him to find the woman who should be his wife. And 
he looked up and saw the camels were coming. As they came 
nearer Rebekah saw Isaac, and she asked the servant what man 
it was walking in the field to meet them. The servant told her 
it was Isaac. Then she took a veil and covered her face with it, 
and came down from the camel; and Isaac brought her into the 
tent that used to be his mother’s, for his mother was dead. And 
he took Rebekah and she was his wife, and he loved her. 

And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. And when he 
was a hundred and seventy-five years old he died, and w r as 
buried in the cave which he had bought from Ephron, where 
he had buried Sarah. 

After Abraham was dead, God was very kind to Isaac and 
blessed him. And he gave Isaac and Rebekah two sons, whose 
names were Jacob and Esau; Esau was the elder, and Jacob 
was the younger. Now in those days, the eldest son in every 
family had what was called the birthright. This made him the 
chief one among all the children; he was greater than any of 
the others. And when his father died he got more of the silver 
and gold and cattle that had been his father’s, than the others 
did; he got twice as much as any of them, because he had the 
birthright. And Esau was Isaac’s eldest son, and therefore had 
the birthright. 

When Esau and Jacob grew up to be men, Esau was a hunt¬ 
er ; he went out into the fields and woods, and killed deer, and 
brought the meat home to his father, because his father loved 
to eat of it. But Jacob lived at home in a tent, and helped to take 


48 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


care of his father’s flocks. And one day Jacob made food called 
pottage. And Esau came in from his hunting very weary and 
faint, and he asked Jacob to give him his pottage. Jacob told 
him he would do so if Esau would sell him his birthright. Then 
Esau, because he felt weak and sick, said that he was going to 
die, and that the birthright would do him no good, so he sold 
it to Jacob, and Jacob gave him the pottage for it. It was 
wrong in Esau to sell his birthright; God had given it to 
him, and he should not have sold it; and it was wrong for 
Jacob, in this way, to take it from him. 


CHAPTERS XXVI.-XXXI. 

B. C. 1804-1739. 

ISAAC GOES TO GERAR AND AFTERWARD TO BEER-SHEBA. JACOB TAKES 
AWAY ESAU’S BLESSING. HE FLEES FROM ESAU ; HIS DREAM. HE 
COMES TO LABAN’S HOUSE AND MARRIES LEAH AND RACHEL. HE 
STARTS ON HIS JOURNEY BACK TO CANAAN. LABAN FOLLOWS HIM. 

T HERE was a famine in the land of Canaan, and Isaac moved 
away to Gerar. It was the same place his father Abraham 
had moved to, many years before, after Sodom was destroyed. 
And when Isaac came to Gerar, the Lord spoke to him and told 
him to sojourn, or stay for a while, in that part of the land, and 
the Lord said he would bless him. And Isaac sowed seed out 
in the field, and when the grain grew up, he reaped a hundred 
times as much as he had sowed, because the Lord made it grow 
well and bear a great deal for him. 

And the Lord made him very rich and great, and gave him 
flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, and a great many servants. 
But the people called Philistines, who lived in Gerar, were not 
pleased to see him so much richer than themselves; they envied 
him, and wished they had his flocks and herds for their own. 
And the king of the country came to him and told him to go 
away from them. 

So Isaac went away from that place and came to a valley and 
set up his tent there. And he found the wells that his father 
Abraham had digged when he was in Gerar, but the Philistines 
had filled them with earth, so that he could get no water from 



THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


49 


them. Then Isaac took the earth out of them; and his servants 
dug a new well, but the herdsmen of that country came and 
said it belonged to them, and they quarrelled for it, and took 
it for their own. And so they did with another well that 
Isaac dug. Then he went to a different place and his servants 
dug a well there; the herdsmen did not take this one from him. 
Afterward Isaac moved to Beer-sheba, which was the place 
where his father Abraham had once lived, and where he had 
digged a well. And in the night the Lord spoke to Isaac and 
told him not to fear, for he would be with him to take care of 
him and bless him. And Isaac built an altar and worshipped 
the Lord, and set up his tent there. 

And the king of the Philistines came from Gerar, with two of 
his friends, to visit Isaac. Isaac asked them why they came to 
him, when they hated him, and had sent him away from their 
country. They answered that they wanted him to promise he 
would do them no harm; for they saw, by all the good things 
the Lord did for him, that the Lord was his friend. And Isaac 
was kind to them. He made a feast for the king and the men 
who were with him, and they did eat and drink, and stayed all 
night. And Isaac promised he would do them no harm, and 
they promised to do him none. So Isaac and the king made a 
covenant together; then the king and his friends went away to 
their own homes. 

And Isaac’s servants digged a well at Beer-sheba, and they 
came to him and said, We have found water. They were glad, 
for sometimes the water was very deep in the ground, and they 
had to dig a long time before they found it. 

And Esau, Jacob’s brother, when he was forty years old, took 
two of the women of Canaan for his wives. But his father and 
mother were much grieved because he did this; for, as we have 
been told, the women of Canaan worshipped idols. 

Now Isaac was old and could not see, and he called Esau and 
told him to take his bow, and go out into the field, and hunt a 
deer; and to cook the meat in the way that Isaac loved, and 
bring it to him that he might eat of it. Then, Isaac said, he 
would bless Esau before he died ; that is, he would ask God to 
4 



house, and told him to take the food to his father, and to say it 
•was Esau who brought it. 

So Jacob came to his father with the food which his mother 


50 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 

be kind to him, and would tell Esau of the things he should 
have after his father was dead. For Isaac meant to bless Esau 
before he blessed Jacob, and to give him the best things, because 
Esau was his oldest son and had the birthright. And Esau 
went out into the field to hunt the deer for his father. 

But Rebekah heard what Isaac said and she was not pleased, 
for she did not wish Esau to be blessed first, although he w r as 
the oldest son ; she wished Jacob to be blessed first, because she 
loved him the best. So, after Esau had gone for the venison, 
she told Jacob to go to the flock and bring her tw T o little kids: 
and when he brought them, she cooked them, making nice food 
of them that tasted like the venison which his father loved. 
Then she put on Jacob some of Esau’s clothes that were in the 


JACOB TAKES ESAU’S BLESSING. 









THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


51 


liad cooked. And his father asked who it was. Jacob said 
it was Esau, and that he had brought the venison which his 
father told him to bring. And Isaac could not see; he put his 
hands on him and felt the clothes and believed it was Esau, so 
he ate of the meat and blessed Jacob. It was wicked in Jacob 
to do this, and in his mother to help him; for although Esau 
had sold him his birthright, Jacob should not have deceived 
his father. 

As soon as Isaac had done blessing Jacob, Esau came in from 
his hunting, with the venison he had killed. And Isaac said, 
Who art thou? Esau answered, I am Esau, thy oldest son. 
And Isaac was surprised and afraid, and he trembled a great 
deal, and asked who it was that had been there before, and 
brought venison and taken Esau’s blessing. Then Isaac knew 
it must have been Jacob, and he told Esau that his brother 
had been there before him and taken away his blessing. 

And Esau was in great trouble. He cried with a loud voice 
and begged his father to bless him also. And Isaac did bless 
him, but he had promised the best things to Jacob, and now he 
could not take them from him. And Esau hated Jacob for what 
he had done, and said to himself, My father will soon die and 
then I will kill Jacob. For Esau was not a good man, he did 
not love God. 

When a good man has been tempted, and done some wicked 
thing, after he has done it he repents of it and asks God to 
forgive him, and tries to do so no more. But when a bad man 
has done wickedly, he does not repent and ask to be forgiven; 
he goes on and does as wickedly again. Though Jacob did 
evil at this time, he was afterward a good man; he loved and 
served God as long as he lived, and God forgave him his sin. 
But Esau was not willing to forgive Jacob; he said he would 
kill him after their father should die. When Rebekah heard 
this she sent for Jacob, and told him to leave his home and go 
to that country where she used to live, to the house of her brother 
Laban, so that Esau might not find him. 

And Rebekah said that the women of Canaan gave her much 
trouble, for Esau had taken two of them as his wives; and she 


52 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


asked what good her life would be to her if Jacob, also, should 
take a wife from among them. Then Isaac called Jacob to him 
and blessed him again, and told him that he should not take 
for his wife a woman of Canaan, but he should take one of La¬ 
ban’s daughters to be his wife. And Isaac sent Jacob away, 
and he went out from his father to go to that country where 
Laban lived. 

As he journeyed he came to a place where he stopped to rest 
for the night, because the sun was set. And he took some of 
the stones that were on the ground for his pillow, and lay down 
to sleep. And he dreamed, and thought he saw a ladder set up 
on the earth; the top of it reached to heaven, and angels were 
going up and down on it. And the Lord stood above it, and 
spoke to Jacob, and told him that he would give the land of 
Canaan to him and to his descendants, and that his descendants 
should be a great multitude of people. And the Lord said he 
would be with Jacob to take care of him wherever he should 
go, and would bring him back to Canaan again. 

And Jacob awaked out of his sleep and was afraid, because 
the Lord had been there and spoken to him in his dream: and 
he rose up early in the morning and worshipped the Lord. He 
called the name of the place Bethel, which means, The house of 
God. And Jacob promised that if the Lord would take care of 
him, and give him bread to eat and clothes to wear, and keep 
him from harm, so that he should come back safely to his father’s 
house again, then he would obey the Lord; and of all the silver 
and gold, the flocks and the herds, which God should give him, 
he would give a tenth part to the Lord. Jacob could not give 
these things into the Lord’s hand, but he could help the poor 
and the sick with them, and build altars and offer burnt offer¬ 
ings with them, and that would be the same as giving them 
into the Lord’s hand. 

And Jacob went on his journey until he came near to Haran, 
where Laban lived. And he saw there a well in a field, with 
three flocks of sheep lying down by it, and the shepherds were 
with their flocks. A great stone was rolled over the mouth of 
the well, to cover it; but when all the flocks had come in from 



And Jacob asked the shepherds where their home was. They 
said at Haran. Then he said, Do you know Laban ? They an¬ 
swered, We know him. And Jacob asked if he was well. They 
said, He is well; and look, Rachel his daughter is coming with 
the sheep. While they were speaking, Rachel came with her 
father’s sheep, for she took care of them. And Jacob went near 
and rolled away the stone and watered the flock for her; and 
he kissed Rachel, and told her he was her relation and Re- 
bekah’s son, and she ran and told her father. 

When Laban heard that his sister Rebekah’s son was come, 
he made haste and ran out to meet him, and put his arms around 
him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And Laban 
spoke kindly to Jacob, and Jacob stayed at his house for a month. 
Then Laban asked Jacob how much he should pay him to stay 
and live there, and take care of his flock. And Laban had an- 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 53 

feeding, the shepherds used to roll the stone away and draw up 
water for the sheep. After they were done drinking, the stone 
was rolled back again over the mouth of the well. 









54 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



other daughter beside Rachel, whose name was Leah; but Ra¬ 
chel was more beautiful than Leah. Now Jacob loved Rachel, 
and he told Laban he would stay and serve him for seven years 
if, after they were ended, Rachel might be his wife. And La¬ 
ban said she might be; therefore Jacob served Laban seven years 
for her, and they seemed like only a few days to him, because 
of the love he felt for her. But when they were ended Laban 
would not give him Rachel, because she was the youngest. He 
gave him Leah, and said that Jacob must serve seven years 


I/ABAN ENGAGES JACOB. 

more for Rachel; For the youngest, he said, must not be mar¬ 
ried before the oldest. So Jacob stayed and served Laban seven 
years longer, and he had both Leah and Rachel for his wives. 
And God gave sons to him. 

After this Jacob asked permission of Laban to take his wives 
and his children, and go back to the land of Canaan. For he 
wanted to see his father and mother, if they were still alive; 
and he thought, perhaps, that after so long a time, Esau would 













THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


55 


forgive the unkindness he had done him when he took away 
his blessing. 

But Laban was not willing to let Jacob go. He had found, 
he said, that the Lord blessed him because Jacob was with him, 
and he asked what wages he should give Jacob to stay longer. 
Jacob said that if Laban would give him some of the cattle 
which he took care of, he would stay and feed his flock as he 
had done before. Therefore Laban gave Jacob some of his 
cattle, and he stayed and took care of Laban’s flock. Then 
Jacob had sheep and goats of his own. These he kept sep¬ 
arate from Laban’s, and put them in a different place. It took 
three days to go from Laban’s flock to the place where Jacob 
kept his flock. And Jacob’s flock grew to be a great many, so 
that after a while he was rich, and had herds of cattle, and his 
sons took care of them. And Jacob had men-servants and 
maid-servants, and camels and asses. 

But one day Jacob heard Laban’s sons speaking unkindly of 
him. They said he had taken away their father’s cattle, and 
that was the reason he had grown so rich. And Jacob saw that 
Laban did not look on him as kindly as he used to do. His 
face was changed and he looked displeased. 

And the Lord spoke to Jacob and commanded him to go back 
to the land of his fathers; that meant, to the land of Canaan, 
where Abraham, his grandfather, had lived when he was alive, 
and where Isaac, his father, was living still. And the Lord 
said he would be with Jacob, to take care of him and keep him 
from harm. Then Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to 
him while he was out in the field with his flock. He wanted to 
talk with them there, so that Laban could not hear what he said. 
When they came he told them that their father did not look 
kindly on him as he used to look, and that the Lord had com¬ 
manded him to go back to Canaan. And Rachel and Leah 
told him to do as the Lord commanded. 

And Jacob made ready to go. He set his wives and his chil¬ 
dren upon camels, and took all his cattle and everything that 
belonged to him, and started on his journey toward the land of 
Canaan. But Laban had gone away from his home to shear his 


56 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



sheep, and he did not know when Jacob left, because Jacob had 
kept it a secret from him. But on the third day after he had 
gone, some one told Laban of it. Then Laban took men with 
him and followed after Jacob. No doubt he was angry, and 
wanted to do him some harm; but in the night, in a dream, God 


JACOB RETURNING TO CANAAN. 

spoke to Laban and told him not to harm Jacob, nor speak un¬ 
kindly to him. And Laban did not overtake Jacob until he had 
been following him seven days; for Jacob had gone a long way, 
across a river and through a wide lonely country, to a mountain 
called Gilead. There Laban came up with him. 

Now Jacob had set up his tent at mount Gilead, and when 
Laban came there he set up his tent also. And he asked Jacob 
why he had gone away secretly, and carried Rachel and Leah 
and their children with him, without letting him know; for, 
Laban said, he had not allowed him to kiss his sons and his 
daughters before they went. Jacob answered that he had gone 






THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


57 


away secretly because he was afraid Laban would take Rachel 
and Leah from him if he knew of his going. And Jacob was 
displeased at Laban for coming after him, and asked why he 
had followed him. Jacob said that he had served Laban for 
twenty years, taking care of his sheep and his goats. He had 
been out in the night and in the day, when it was cold and when 
it was hot, watching over them. And now, he said, if God had 
not been with him to help him, Laban would have sent him away 
without giving him anything for all the work he had done. 

Then Laban spoke kindly to Jacob, and said, Thy wives and 
thy children are the same to me as if they were my own, and I 
would not do them any harm. Let us, therefore, be friends and 
make a covenant together. And they piled up stones and made 
a heap of them in that place, and promised they would do each 
other no harm. That heap was always to stay there to remind 
them of the covenant they had made. If ever they should be 
angry and want to harm each other, then, as they were going to 
do it, when they came to that heap and saw the stones there, 
they would remember their covenant and turn back, and never 
harm each other any more. 

And Jacob built an altar and offered up a sacrifice on mount 
Gilead, and he and Laban, and the men who were with him, ate 
bread together, and they stayed all night in the mount. Early 
in the morning Laban rose up and kissed Rachel and Leah and 
their children, and blessed them, and then went back to his own 
home. 


CHAPTERS XXXII.-XXXVI. 

B. C. 1739-1729. 

JACOB SENDS MESSENGERS, AND A PRESENT, TO ESAU. HE WRESTLES AT 
PENIEL. THE MEETING OF JACOB AND ESAU. JACOB COMES TO BETHEL 
AND AFTERWARD TO HIS FATHER IN CANAAN. BENJAMIN IS BORN. 
DEBORAH AND RACHEL AND ISAAC DIE. ESAU MOVES AWAY TO EDOM. 

J ACOB left mount Gilead, and went toward Canaan. As he 
went some angels met him. Jacob called them God’s host, 
or army. Perhaps God had sent them to take care of him on his 
journey. And he came near to the place where his brother Esau 
was, and sent messengers to tell him that he had been living with 



58 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Laban until that time, and had oxen and asses and flocks, and 
men-servants and maid-servants. He sent to tell Esau about it, 
he said, so that Esau might not be angry with him. For Jacob 
was afraid of Esau. Though it had been twenty years since he 
deceived his father and took away Esau’s blessing, yet Jacob re¬ 
membered his sin and it made him afraid. 

And the messengers returned to Jacob and told him that Esau 
was coming with four hundred men to meet him. Then Jacob 
was in great fear; he took his flocks, and his herds, and his 
camels, and made two companies of them instead of one large 
company; and some of Jacob’s men went with one company and 
some with the other. And Jacob told them that if Esau came 
to hurt, or kill, one company, the other must make haste and 
flee away. 

And Jacob prayed that God would save him from Esau; for 
he was afraid that Esau would kill him and his wives, and his 
children. Jacob said that the Lord had been very kind to him, 
and that he did not deserve the good things which God had 
given him; for when he left Canaan, twenty years before, he had 
only the staff which he carried in his hand. But now, when 
he was coming back, he had two companies, or bands, of men, 
with flocks and herds and camels. Then he was very poor, but 
now God had made him rich. 

Jacob stayed in that place all night. And he took some of 
his cattle and sent them as a present to Esau: two hundred and 
twenty goats, two hundred and twenty sheep, thirty camels with 
their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty asses with ten 
little ones. But he did not send all of these together; he made 
different droves, or flocks, of them, and sent each drove by itself. 
Then when Esau should meet the first drove, and ask the man 
who was driving it, whose cattle they were, and where they were 
going, the man was to say, They are thy servant Jacob’s; it is 
a present he has sent to my lord Esau. When Esau should 
meet the next drove, and ask the same questions, the man driving 
it was to answer as the first had done. And so they were all to 
answer, till Esau should have seen every drove. Jacob sent 
them to make Esau feel kindly toward him, so that he might 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


59 


not hurt him, or his wives, or his children, or take his flocks 
or his herds from him. 

And Jacob rose up in the night, and sent his two wives and 
his eleven sons over the stream of water that was there; and he 
was left alone. And there came a man and wrestled with him, 



JACOB WRESTLES WITH THE ANGEL. 


putting his arms around him and trying to throw him down, and 
Jacob put his arms around the man. So they wrestled together 
till the light of the morning shone a little in the sky. When the 
man saw that Jacob did not fall, but was strong, and wrestled 
on still, he touched Jacob’s thigh ; and just by his touch, Jacob’s 
thigh was put out of joint, and he was lame. 

And the man said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. But 
Jacob said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. The 
man asked, What is thy name? and he told him, Jacob. Then 
the man said, Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Is¬ 
rael ; which means, A Prince of God: and the reason he changed 
Jacob’s name was, that Jacob wrestled with him so long to get 



















GO 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



his blessing. For this man was the same as the one who had 
talked with Abraham, and told him that he would destroy Sodom 
and Gomorrah : this man was the Lord. And Jacob said to him, 
Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. But the Lord answered, Why 
dost thou ask after my name? And the Lord blessed Jacob 
there. And Jacob said, I have seen God. And he named that 
place Peniel; which means, The face of God. For Jacob said, 
I have seen God face to face. And as he crossed the stream 
the sun rose up, and he was lame in his thigh where the Lord 
had touched him. 

And Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four hun¬ 
dred men with him. Then he took his eleven sons, and gave 


THE MEETING OP JACOB AND ESAU. 

some of them to the two handmaids and the others to Rachel 
and Leah, that they might bring them to Esau when he should 
come near. But Jacob went on first by himself to meet his 
brother, and, as he went, he bowed down to the ground seven 
times before him. Then when Esau saw this he ran to meet 









THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


61 


Jacob, and put his arms around him, and leaned on his neck 
and kissed him; and they both wept. 

We have read that when God commanded Jacob to leave La¬ 
ban’s house and go back to Canaan, he promised to be with him 
and keep him from harm. And we have seen how God kept his 
promise; for, first, he would not let Laban hurt, or even speak 
unkindly to Jacob, and now he made Esau, that angry brother 
who had wanted to kill him, feel so kindly toward him that when 
they met, he ran to him and kissed him, and wept, leaning on 
his neck. 

When Esau saw the women and the children, he said, Who 
are these with thee ? Jacob answered, The children whom God 
hath given thy servant. Then the handmaids, and Leah, and 
Rachel, came near, bringing the children with them, and they 
bowed down before Esau. And Esau asked Jacob what he 
meant by all those cattle he had met. Jacob answered he had 
sent them as a present, so that Esau might be pleased with him. 
And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep what thou hast 
to thyself; for Esau had flocks and herds of his own. But 
Jacob said, I pray thee take my present; and he begged him 
till Esau took it. 

Then Esau wanted Jacob to go on his journey and wait no 
longer at that place. If he would do this, Esau said he would go 
with him. But Jacob told Esau that his children were young and 
weak, and might easily be made sick; and that his flocks and 
herds had to be driven very carefully, because if they were made 
to go too far or too fast, for only one day, many of them would 
die. And he begged Esau to go on first by himself, and Jacob 
said he would come after him more slowly, as the children and 
cattle were able to bear it. 

Then Esau offered to leave some of his men with Jacob; they 
could help him drive his cattle, or defend him if robbers should 
attack him by the way; but Jacob said that he did not need 
them. So Esau left him and went away to his own home. 
After he had gone Jacob went on his journey till he came to 
a place called Succoth; there he stopped and made booths for 
his cattle to rest in. Booths were sheds, or huts, made out of the 


62 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


branches of trees. When his cattle had rested Jacob left Suo 
coth and came into the land of Canaan. 

And God spoke to him, and told him to go up to Bethel and 
build an altar there. Bethel was the place where Jacob had his 
dream, and saw the ladder reaching to heaven, with the angels 
going up and down on it. God had promised in that dream, 
to be with him wherever he should go, and to bring him back to 
Canaan; and now God had brought him back. Although it 
was more than twenty years since he went away, the Lord had 
taken care of him all that time, and at last brought him safely 
to his own land. And God told Jacob to go up to the place 
where the promise was given him, and there to build an altar 
to the Lord. 

Then Jacob said to Rachel and Leah, and to his sons, Let us 
go up to Bethel, and I will build there an altar unto God. And 
he told them how kind the Lord had been to him many years 
before, when he was in trouble, and was fleeing from his brother 
Esau; and how the Lord had been with him ever since that 
time to take care of him in the way that he went. And Jacob 
and his wives, and his sons, journeyed toward Bethel. There 
were cities in the land they passed through, but God made the 
people who lived in them afraid, so that they did not come out 
to do Jacob any harm. And he came to Bethel, he and all who 
were with him, and there he built an altar and offered up a sac¬ 
rifice to the Lord. 

And Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, had a nurse, named Deborah. 
Perhaps she was the same that Rebekah brought with her when 
she came into Canaan with Abraham’s servant, to be Isaac’s wife. 
And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse died, and they buried her under 
an oak at Bethel. 

And God spoke to Jacob, and blessed him, and said again, 
Thy name shall not be called Jacob any more, but Israel shall 
be thy name. God told him also that he would give the land of 
Canaan to him, and to his descendants after he should die, and 
that his descendants should be so many there would be whole 
nations of them, and that some of them should be kings. After 
he was done talking to Jacob, God went up toward heaven. 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS- 


63 


And Jacob set up a pillar of stone at Bethel, so that it might 
always be remembered as the place where God had spoken to him. 

And Jacob left Bethel, and came near to Bethlehem, and 
God gave him another son, whose name was called Benjamin. 
But Rachel, the little boy’s mother, died, before they came to 
Bethlehem, and they buried her on the way there. And Jacob 
set up a pillar upon Rachel’s grave, to show where she was 
buried, and that pillar stood there for hundreds of years. 

After these things Jacob came to Hebron, where his father 
lived ; for Isaac, Jacob’s father, was still alive. Though it had 
been so long a time since he was old and blind, and since he had 
sent Esau for the venison, that he might bless him, because he 
thought he was going to die, yet God had kept Isaac alive till 
Jacob came again. But after Jacob had come, and when Isaac 
was a hundred and eighty years old, he died, and his sons Jacob 
and Esau buried him in the cave where Abraham and Sarah 
were buried. 

And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and 
his cattle, and all that he had in the land of Canaan, and went 
away to live in another country, called Edom. For he and 
Jacob had so many cattle, that there was not food enough for 
them all in the land where they both had lived. 


CHAPTERS XXXVII.-XLI. 


B. C. 1729-1708. 


JOSEPH IS HATED BY HIS BRETHREN. THEY SELL HIM TO THE ISHMAEL- 
ITES, WHO CARRY HIM INTO EGYPT. POTIPHAR PUTS HIM IN PRISON. 
HE INTERPRETS THE DREAMS OF THE CHIEF BUTLER AND BAKER, 
AND OF KING PHARAOH ; AND IS MADE RULER OVER EGYPT. 

ACOB had twelve sons: Benjamin, who was born near Beth- 



O lehem after Jacob came back to Canaan, was the youngest 
of them all, and Joseph was next to the youngest. Joseph was 
seventeen years old, and one day he went out in the field with his 
brethren to feed his father’s flock. And he came home to his 
father and told him of some wicked thing that his brethren 
had done. It was right in him to tell of it, so that his father 
might speak with his brethren about it, and command them to 
do so no more. 



64 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Now Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other children, be¬ 
cause God had given Joseph to him when he was an old man. 
Yet it was not only for this he loved him the most, but also be¬ 
cause Joseph was more obedient and kind than his other children. 
And the Bible says that Jacob made him a coat of many colors. 
We cannot tell what kind of a coat this was, except that it was 
different from the coats his brethren wore, and more beautiful 
than theirs. 

When his brethren saw how much their father loved Joseph, 
they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. And 
Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brethren, and they 
hated him yet the more. He said to them, Hear, I pray you, 
this dream which I have dreamed. We were binding sheaves 
in the field (sheaves are large bundles of grain), and my sheaf 
rose and stood up, and your sheaves stood round about and 
they bowed down to my sheaf. Then his brethren were angry, 
because, if their sheaves bowed down to Joseph’s sheaf, it seemed 
to mean that they were to bow down to Joseph. And they said 
to him, Shalt thou, indeed, rule over us ? 

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his breth¬ 
ren, and said, I have dreamed a dream more. The sun, and 
the moon, and the eleven stars, bowed down to me. Now there 
were just eleven of Joseph’s brethren, so they thought the eleven 
stars meant them, and the sun and moon meant their father and 
mother. And they were displeased at Joseph, because it seemed 
as if some day he would be greater than they. He told this 
dream to his father also, and his father found fault with him, 
and said, Shall I, and thy mother, and thy brethren, come to 
bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 

And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock at Shechem; 
Shechem was a good way from Hebron where Jacob lived. And 
Jacob said to Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in 
Shechem ? Come, and I will send thee to them. And Joseph 
was willing to go. Then his father said, Go see whether it is 
well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks, and bring me 
word again. So Jacob sent Joseph away from Hebron to She¬ 
chem, where his brethren fed the flock. 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


65 


And Joseph came to Shechem, but his brethren were not 
there. As he was wandering in the field, a man found him, 
and said to him, What seekest thou ? Joseph said, I seek my 
brethren; tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks? 
The man answered, They are gone from here, for I heard them 
say, Let us go to Dothan. Dothan was still farther off than 
Shechem: so Joseph went after his brethren and came toward 
Dothan. And when they saw him coming, even while he was 
yet a good way off, they began to talk with each other about 
killing him. They said to one another, See, this dreamer 
comes; now let us kill him, and throw him into some pit, and 



JOSEPH SOLD BY HIS BRETHREN. 

we will say some evil beast has devoured him, and we shall 
see what will become of his dreams. 

When Reuben, one of his brethren, heard what they said, he 
wanted to save Joseph from them; so he persuaded them to put 
him into the pit without harming him: he said, Lower him into 
6 







66 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


this pit that is in the wilderness, hut do not hurt him. Reu¬ 
ben thought that afterward, he would come back, when the 
others were gone, and take Joseph out and bring him home to 
his father. So they concluded to do as Reuben said. And when 
Joseph came to them, they stripped off his coat of many colors 
that was on him, and took him and put him into the pit: there 
is often water at the bottom of deep pits in the ground, but this 
one was dry, there was no water in it. 

And they sat down to eat their food. But looking up, they 
saw some men, called Ishmaelites, coming that way with their 
camels: these men were merchantmen who carried things to 
sell, and they were going down into Egypt. When Judah, an¬ 
other of Joseph’s brethren, saw them, he asked what good there 
would be in killing Joseph. Come, let us sell him to the Ish¬ 
maelites, he said; and his brethren were willing to do it. 

Then the Ishmaelites with their camels came by, and Joseph’s 
brethren lifted him out of the pit, and sold him for twenty pieces 
of silver; and the Ishmaelites took him and carried him dowD 
into Egypt. But Reuben, the one who had wanted to take him 
back to his father, was not there when his brethren sold him; 
afterward he went to the pit to find Joseph, and when he could 
not, he was greatly distressed: and he came and told his brethren, 
and said, Joseph is taken away; and I, where shall I go? 

And Joseph’s brethren took his coat, and killed a kid and 
dipped the coat in its blood. Then they brought it to their 
father, and told him they had found it; he could tell, they said, 
whether it was Joseph’s coat or not. And Jacob knew it, and 
said, It is my son’s coat, an evil beast has devoured him. Joseph 
is, without doubt, torn in pieces. 

Then Jacob rent his clothes. The men of that country dressed 
in clothes different from ours. They wore a long coat, or sack, 
made of linen. It reached from the neck down below the knees, 
and was fastened around the waist with a belt, or girdle. Over 
this coat they wore a loose garment, like a shawl or blanket. 
When in great distress they sometimes took hold of the linen 
coat, and tore it from the neck down to the girdle. This was 
called rending the clothes And Jacob rent his clothes, because 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


67 


he thought Joseph was torn in pieces. He put on sackcloth 
also. Sackcloth was a dark, coarse kind of cloth, which per¬ 
sons wore to show they 
were in trouble. Jacob 
was in great trouble for 
many days, and no one 
could persuade him to stop 
mourning; for he said that 
he would mourn till he 
should go down into the 
grave to Joseph; he meant, 
till he himself should die. 

And the Ishmaelites 
brought Joseph down into 
Egypt. The king of that 
country was named Pha¬ 
raoh, and he had an officer in his army whose name was Potiphar. 
Potiphar bought Joseph of the Ishmaelites, and Joseph was Poti- 
phar’s servant, and lived in his house. And the Lord helped 
Joseph in serving his master, so that his master was pleased 
with him, and set him over his other servants. Joseph had 
the care of his house, and of everything in it, for his master 
trusted Joseph with all that he had. And the Lord blessed 
Potiphar, because Joseph was with him. 

But after a while, Potiphar’s wife persuaded her husband that 
Joseph was a wicked man. Then Potiphar took him, and put 
him in prison, where the king’s prisoners were kept. But the 
Lord was kind to Joseph, and made the keeper of the prison his 
friend, so that he set Joseph over the other prisoners as Potiphar 
had set him over his other servants. The keeper gave the care 
of all the men in the prison to him, neither did he watch over 
them any longer himself; he let Joseph do it for him. And the 
Lord helped Joseph to do all things well. 

And two of king Pharaoh’s servants offended him; one was 
his chief baker, who attended to cooking his food, and the other 
was his chief butler, who carried his wine-cup to him when he 
wanted to drink. Pharaoh was displeased with them both, and 



EASTERN GARMENTS. 







68 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


put them into the prison where Joseph was, and Joseph had the 
care of them there. And each of these men dreamed a dream 
the same night, and when Joseph came in to them in the morn¬ 
ing, he saw they looked sad. Then he asked them, Why look 
ye so sadly to-day ? They answered, We have dreamed a dream, 
and there is no interpreter of it; that is, no one to explain what 
it means ; for an interpreter is a person who explains to us some¬ 
thing which we do not understand. And Joseph asked the men 
if God could not interpret all things; and he told them to tell 
him their dreams. 

So the chief butler told his dream to Joseph. He said that 
he thought he saw a vine, and on the vine were three branches. 
While he was looking, there came out buds on the branches, 
and very soon these buds changed into bunches of ripe grapes. 
And the butler thought he was holding Pharaoh’s wine-cup in 
his hand, so he took the grapes and pressed the juice out of them 
into the cup, and gave the cup to Pharaoh that he might drink. 
This was the chief butler’s dream. 

And Joseph interpreted it to him, for God showed Joseph 
what the dream meant. He said the three branches which the 
butler saw on the vine, meant three days; for within three days, 
Pharaoh would send and take him out of prison, and bring him 
to the king’s house again. And there he should wait on the 
king and give the cup into his hand, as he used to do when he 
was butler before. Then Joseph asked the chief butler to re¬ 
member him when he should come to the king’s house, and to 
speak to Pharaoh about him, so that he might be brought out of 
the prison; because, Joseph said, he had been stolen away from 
the land of the Hebrews, that is, the land of Canaan; and since 
he had been in Egypt he had not done anything that they should 
put him in prison for. 

When the chief baker saw that the butler’s dream meant some¬ 
thing good, he told Joseph his dream. He said that he thought 
he was carrying three baskets on his head, one above the other. 
In the highest basket were all kinds of cooked meats for Pha¬ 
raoh, and the birds flew down and ate the meats out of the 
basket. Then Joseph told him that this was the interpretation 



JOSEPH INTERPRETS THE DREAMS OF THE CHIEF BUTLER AND THE CHIEF BAKER. 








70 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


of his dream. The three baskets meant three days. Within 
three days, he said, shall Pharaoh hang thee on a tree, and 
the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. This meant that in 
three days Pharaoh would put the baker to death, and after¬ 
ward would let him hang where the birds could fly down and 
eat his flesh. 

And it came true as Joseph said. For after three days was 
the king’s birthday, when he made a feast to all his servants. 
And he sent and brought the chief butler back to his house 
again, so that he gave the wine-cup into Pharaoh’s hand, as he 
used to do when he was butler before. But he hanged the chief 
baker as Joseph had told him. Yet the chief butler, when he 
was taken back to the king’s house, did not remember Joseph 
and speak to Pharaoh about him; he forgot all the kindness 
that Joseph had shown to him while he was shut up in prison. 

After Joseph had been in prison two whole years, Pharaoh 
dreamed a dream. He thought he stood by the river that was 
in Egypt, and saw seven cows come up out of the water. They 
were fat and well looking, and they went into a meadow and ate 
the grass there. After them came up seven other cows, but these 
were thin and starved looking. And the thin and starved look¬ 
ing cows ate up those that were fat and well looking. And 
Pharaoh awoke. 

And he slept and dreamed again. He thought he saw seven 
ears of corn grow up on one stalk. They were all good and 
filled with grain. And after them came up seven bad ears, that 
were spoiled and had no good grain in them. And the seven 
bad ears did eat up the seven good ones. And Pharaoh awoke 
and found it was a dream. 

In the morning he was troubled, and sent and called for all 
the wise men of Egypt, and told them his dreams; but they 
could not interpret them. Then the chief butler spoke, and said, 
that he remembered when Pharaoh was angry with him, and 
with the chief baker, and put them both into prison, they each 
of them had a dream in one night, and a young man who was 
in the prison interpreted their dreams, and what that young man 
told them came true. 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


71 


Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph; and they brought 
him quickly out of the prison, and he shaved himself, and put 
on other clothes, and came to Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to 
Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and none can interpret it, 
and I have heard of thee, that thou canst understand a dream 
to interpret it. Joseph answered, that it was not he, but God, 



JOSEPH INTERPRETS PHARAOH’S DREAM. 


who would tell Pharaoh the things he wanted to know. And 
Pharaoh told Joseph his dreams: the one in which he thought 
he stood by the bank of the river, and saw the seven bad cows 
eat up the seven good ones; and after they had eaten them, no 
person could have told they had eaten anything, for they were as 
thin and starved looking as before. And Pharaoh told Joseph 
his dream about the ears of corn also. 





















72 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Then Joseph said that the king’s two dreams both meant the 
same thing, and that God had showed Pharaoh in these dreams 
what he was going to do. The seven good cows and the seven 
good ears of corn, he said, meant seven years; and the seven 
bad cows and the seven bad ears of corn, meant seven other years. 
For first there would come seven good years in Egypt, when the 
corn would grow well, and there would be plenty for the people 
to eat. But after those seven good years would come seven bad 
years, when the people would want bread, because there would 
be a famine in all the land. 

Then Joseph told Pharaoh to look for some wise man, who 
could attend to saving up the corn for him in the seven good 
years, so that, when the bad years should come, the people would 
have bread to eat and not starve. And the king was willing to 
do as Joseph told him; and he said that as God had taught Jo¬ 
seph how to interpret his dreams, and showed him all these 
things which were to happen, Joseph was the wisest man and the 
best one to attend to saving up the corn for him. 

So Pharaoh would not let Joseph go back to the prison any 
more, but he made him a great man. He took off his ring from 
his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and dressed him in rich 
clothing and put a gold chain about his neck. He made him ride 
also in the chariot next to the king’s chariot; and as he rode 
along, the people cried, Bow the knee. And Pharaoh made him 
ruler over all the land of Egypt. 

And Pharaoh said that every man in Egypt should do as 
Joseph commanded him; and he gave Joseph a wife whose name 
was Asenath. Joseph was thirty years old when he interpreted 
Pharaoh’s dreams. And he went out over all the land and at¬ 
tended to saving up the corn for Pharaoh. In the seven good 
years it grew well. When it was ripe and cut down, the people 
had much more than they could eat. 

Then Joseph took a part of it and had it carried into those 
cities which were near to the fields where it grew. And he put 
it away in houses called store-houses, that it might be kept safe 
until the seven years of famine should come. He saved up in 
this way, very much corn, until he stopped counting how much, 



THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 73 

for there was more of it than any one could tell. And God gave 
Joseph two sons, one of whom he named Manasseh and the other 
Ephraim. 

And the seven good years were ended and the seven bad years 
began. The famine was not only in the land of Egypt, it was 


JOSEPH IS MADE RULER OVER EGYPT. 

in other lands beside : but in Egypt there was bread, because 
Joseph had saved up the corn before the famine came. When 
the people had nothing to eat, they cried to Pharaoh for bread, 
and Pharaoh said, Go to Joseph, and what he says to you, do. 
And Joseph opened all the store-houses where the corn was 
kept, and he sold it to the Egyptians. And people came from 
other countries also, to buy corn, because the famine was in the 
countries where they lived. 

















74 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


CHAPTERS XLII.-XLY. 

B. C. 1707-1706. 

JOSEPH’S BRETHREN COME INTO EGYPT TO BTJY CORN. HE PRETENDS 
NOT TO KNOW THEM, AND KEEPS SIMEON WHILE HE SENDS THE 
OTHERS BACK TO CANAAN FOR BENJAMIN. THEY BRING BEN¬ 
JAMIN. HE MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN TO THEM AND SENDS FOR 
HIS FATHER. 

"VTOW Joseph’s brethren were still living in the land of Ca- 
-kl naan. It had been many years since they sold him to the 
Ishmaelites, and they did not know what had become of him, 
but they thought he was dead. And the famine was in Canaan, 
and they wanted bread for their father and their little children 
to eat. And they looked at one another as if they did not know 
where they should get it, or what they should do. Then Jacob 
said to them, Why do ye look one upon another ? I have heard 
there is corn in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us, 
that we may live and not die. So Joseph’s ten brethren left 
their home to go. But Benjamin, his youngest brother, stayed 
with his father in Canaan, for his father was afraid that some 
evil might happen him if he should go with them. And Joseph’s 
brethren came down into Egypt, with many other persons to buy 
corn, for the famine was in all the countries around Egypt. 

Now Joseph was governor over Egypt; it was he who sold 
corn to the people. And his brethren came and bowed down 
before him with their faces to the earth. Joseph saw them and 
knew them, but pretended he did not. He asked them, saying, 
From whence do ye come? They answered, From the land of 
Canaan, to buy food. But though Joseph knew his brethren 
they did not know him, nor think at all that it was their brother 
whom they had sold to the Ishmaelites so many years before. 
And Joseph spoke roughly to them, and said, Ye are spies (that 
is, enemies), who are come into the land to find out something 
which you ought not to know. But his brethren answered, No, 
my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all 
one man’s sons. We are true men (that is, men who speak the 
truth) ; thy servants are no spies. 

Yet Joseph seemed not to believe them, and said again they 
were spies. But it was not because he was angry that he spoke 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


75 


roughly to them. He did so that they might not know him. 
He was soon going to be very kind to them, for Joseph was a 
good man and willing to forgive his brethren their unkindness 
to him. Then they told Joseph that they were all brothers, and 
that their father had twelve sons. One of them, they said, was 
with their father, in the land of Canaan—that was Benjamin;— 
and one, they said, “ was not.” They meant he was dead. The 
one who, they told Joseph, was dead, was Joseph himself. 

Yet Joseph still pretended not to believe them, and said he 
would find out whether they spoke the truth or not, and this 
was the way he would do it One of them should go home to 
Canaan to bring their youngest brother down to Egypt, but all 
the rest must stay till that one should come back; and he put 
them in prison three days. On the third day he spoke to them 
again ; but this time he said that only one need stay. The rest 
might go home to take corn for their families to eat. Yet they 
must leave one, so that Joseph might be sure the others would come 
back and bring their youngest brother with them. When his 
brethren heard him say this, and saw that he was in earnest 
and meant to do as he said, they were in great trouble. They 
did not know it was Joseph who spoke with them and had put 
them in prison, yet they thought that God was punishing them 
for their sin in selling their brother to the Ishmaelites so long 
ago. And they talked with each other about it and said how 
wficked they had been. 

And Reuben (the one who had intended to take Joseph out 
of the pit and bring him back to his father), said to his breth¬ 
ren, Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not sin against the 
child; but you would not listen to me ? That was the reason, 
Reuben told them, why such trouble had come on them now. 
And Joseph heard them talking together, for they thought he 
could not understand what they said, because he had talked 
with them only in the Egyptian language, and when he did so, 
had an interpreter to explain what he said. Yet Joseph un¬ 
derstood every word they spoke, and he had to go away from 
them that they might not see him, for what they said made him 
weep. Afterward he came back and talked to them again. 


76 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Still he pretended to think they were spies. Then he took 
Simeon, one of his brothers, and bound him, and all the rest 
saw him do it, for Simeon was to stay in Egypt while the others 
went home after Benjamin. 

And Joseph commanded his servants to fill his brothers’ 
sacks with corn, and to put the money that each one had paid, 
back again into his sack; but he did not tell his brethren of 
this, and they did not know that their money was put back. So 
when their asses were loaded, all of them except Simeon started 
on their journey to their home in Canaan. And they came to 
the inn on the road, where travellers stopped to rest. Here as 
one of them opened his sack to give his ass some food out of it, 
he saw his money, for it was in his sack’s mouth. And he said 
to his brethren, My money is given back to me; it is in my 
sack. Then they were afraid, for they did not know who had 
put it there. 

And they went on their journey, and came to Jacob their 
father in the land of Canaan, and told him of the things that 
had happened to them while they were gone. They said, The 
man who is the lord of the country spoke roughly to us and took 
us for spies. And we said, We are no spies, but are true men. 
We are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the 
youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. 
And the man, the lord of the country, said to us, This is the way 
I shall know whether you are true men: leave one of your 
brethren with me, and take food for your families and go, and 
bring your youngest brother unto me. Then I shall knew that 
you are no spies, but true men; and I will give your brother up 
to you again, and you may buy corn in the land. 

And when they came to empty the corn out of their sacks, 
they found every man’s bundle of money that he had paid for 
the corn, put back into the sack. They and their father saw the 
bundles of money and were afraid. And Jacob was troubled, 
and said to his sons that they had taken away his children from 
him; for Joseph was gone and Simeon was gone, and now they 
wanted to take Benjamin 'away. Then Reuben, who had two 
sons of his own, spoke to his father, saying, Slay my two sons if 



THE MONEY FOUND IN THE MOUTH OF THE SACKS 

















78 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


I do not bring Benjamin back to thee; give him to me and I 
will bring him to thee again. But Jacob said that Benjamin 
should not go down into Egypt; for Joseph was dead, and if 
any harm happened to Benjamin, it would be a greater trouble 
than he could bear. 

Now the famine was very dreadful in the land of Canaan. 
And when they had eaten up the corn which they brought out 
of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, Go again, buy us a little food. 
And Judah told his father they would go down and buy food, 
if he would let Benjamin go with them, but if he would not let 
Benjamin go, they would not go down; for the man, the lord of 
the country, had said to them, Ye shall not see my face except 
your brother be with you. Then Israel, that was Jacob, for now 
he had two names, asked his sons why they were so unkind to 
him as to tell the man they had another brother. But they an¬ 
swered, The man asked us, saying, Is your father yet alive? 
have you another brother ? Could we know that he would say, 
Bring your brother down ? 

And Judah told Israel his father, to send Benjamin with him, 
and under his care; then, he said they would arise and go, that 
they might not starve, but have food for their father and them¬ 
selves and their little children. Judah said he would watch over 
him, and that no harm should happen to him. His father should 
trust Benjamin to him, and if he did not bring him back safely, then 
he would bear the blame forever. For if they had not stayed so 
long they would have been to Egypt and come back, by that time. 

Then their father, Israel, told them that if it must be so, if 
they must take Benjamin, they had better take also a present to 
the man. Do this, he said, take some of the best fruits of the 
land, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a lit¬ 
tle honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds: and take more 
money with you, and the money that was brought back in the 
mouths of your sacks, perhaps it was a mistake. Take also your 
brother, and arise and go again unto the man. And Israel 
prayed for his sons, that God would make the man kind to them; 
for, he said, if his children were taken away from him, he would 
be left lonely and sorrowful indeed. 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


79 


So they took the present, and the money, and Benjamin, and 
went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph again. And when 
Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his steward who took 
care of his house, Bring these men home and make ready, for 
they shall eat dinner with me at noon. And the servant did as 
Joseph commanded; but the men were afraid when they came 
to Joseph’s house. They said to one another that it was because 
they had carried the money home in their sacks the first time, 
they were brought there, and that now Joseph was going to 
blame them for it, so that he might make them his slaves and 
take away their asses from them. 

And they came near to Joseph’s steward, and talked with him 
at the door of the house, and said, O, sir, indeed we came down 
the first time only to buy food. And they told him that as they 
were going home to Canaan, when they stopped at the inn, they 
opened their sacks and found the money they had paid for their 
corn put back into their sacks. Every man’s money was in the 
mouth of his sack. And now, they said, they had brought that 
money back with them, and other money beside, to buy food. 
But they could not tell who had put their money into their sacks 
when they went home before. 

Then Joseph’s steward told them not to fear. And he brought 
Simeon out to them, the one who had been left bound in Egypt 
while they went home to Canaan. And the steward gave them 
water to wash their feet, and he gave food to their asses. And 
they made ready the present which they had brought for Joseph, 
to give it to him when he should come home at noon, for they 
had heard they were to stay and eat dinner there. When Joseph 
came, they brought his present into the house, and bowed them¬ 
selves down before him to the earth. And he spoke kindly to 
them, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye 
spake? Is he yet alive? They answered, Thy servant, our 
father, is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down 
to him again. 

And Joseph looked and saw his brother Benjamin, and said, 
Is this your younger brother of whom ye spoke unto me ? And 
he said, May God be good to thee, my son. Then Joseph made 


80 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


haste to find a place where he might go and weep, and he went 
into his chamber and wept there, because he was so full of joy at 
seeing his brother. But afterward he washed his face, and came 
out, and kept back the tears, so that his brethren could not tell 
he had been weeping. 

And he told his servants to set bread on the table, and they 
set on bread for Joseph in one place, to eat by himself, and for 
his brethren in another place, to eat by themselves: for the 
Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, (that is, with the sons 
of Jacob), and Joseph wanted, now, to pretend that he was an 
Egyptian. And when his brethren came to take their seats, 
they found that the oldest one had the first seat, and the next 
oldest the next seat, and so they were all placed according to 
their ages. Then they wondered who could have known how to 
place their seats in that way. 

And Joseph sent food to his brethren from his own table, but 
to Benjamin he sent five times as much as to any of the others. 
He loved Benjamin more than the others, because Joseph and 
Benjamin had the same mother. All of them had the same 
father, but they had different mothers; and Joseph and Benja¬ 
min were the only ones who had Baehel for their mother. Ra¬ 
chel, as we have read, died long before, and Jacob buried her on 
the way, as he went toward Bethlehem. And Joseph’s brethren 
ate and drank with him in his house, but they did not know 
it was Joseph. 

And Joseph commanded the steward of his house to fill the 
men’s sacks with food, as much as they could carry, and to put 
every man’s money back in the mouth of his sack, as had been 
done when they came down into Egypt before. And put my 
cup, the silver cup, he said, in the sack of the youngest. And 
the steward did as Joseph commanded. In the morning, as 
soon as it was light, the men started on their journey back 
to Canaan. When they had gone out of the city, but were 
not far off, Joseph told his steward to follow after them, 
and ask why they had taken his silver cup. So the steward fol¬ 
lowed after them, and when he came up to them, asked as Joseph 
had told him. 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


81 


Then the men were very much surprised, and wondered why 
the steward spoke such words to them. God forbid, they said, 
that they should do such a thing as steal Joseph’s cup. They 
had brought back the money which they found in their sacks, 
when they went home to Canaan the first time; they could have 
kept it had they chosen to do so, but they brought it back of 
their own accord. And if they had done this, they asked, would 
they now take from Joseph’s house silver or gold which did not 
belong to them ? 

Then they told the steward that if any of them had taken the 
cup, he might put that one to death, and all the rest would be 
his servants. The steward answered, that the one who had 
taken the cup should be his servant, but the rest should not be 
blamed. Then each of them quickly took down his sack from 
the back of the ass, and rested it on the ground; and every man 
opened his sack so that the steward could look into it. And he 
looked, beginning with the sack of the oldest, and leaving off 
with the sack of the youngest, and he found the cup in Benja¬ 
min’s sack. Then they rent their clothers, and loaded their 
asses, and returned with him to the city. 

And they came to Joseph’s house, for he was still there, and 
they fell down before him on the ground. And Joseph pre¬ 
tended to think they had really stolen his cup, and he asked if 
they did not know he would find it out. Then Judah spoke to 
him, and said, What shall we say to my lord ? or what shall we 
do that we may not be punished ? God has found out our wick¬ 
edness; we are all my lord’s servants. But Joseph answered 
that only the one who had the cup should be his servant; as 
for the rest they might go home to their father. 

Then Judah came near to Joseph and begged him not to be 
angry, but to let him speak. Judah said that when they came 
down to Egypt the first time Joseph asked them, saying, Have 
you a father and a brother at home in the country where you 
live ? And they told him they had a father, an old man, and 
also a brother who was a little child yet; and that their father 
loved the boy, for his mother was dead and his brother was 
dead. And Joseph told them to bring that younger brother 


82 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


down to Egypt that he might see him. Then they had an¬ 
swered that the boy could not leave his father, for, if he should 
do so, his father would die. But Joseph told them that if they 
did not bring their brother down, they should never see his face 
again. So when they went home to their father, they told him 
what Joseph had said. And after a while their father w r anted 
them to go down to Egypt again, to buy a little more food. But 
they said to him, We cannot go unless our youngest brother be 
with us, for we may not see the man’s face unless Benjamin be 
with us. Then their father told them that if they took Benja- 



JOSEPH MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN TO HIS BRETHREN. 


min, and any harm should happen to him while they were 
gone, he would die with sorrow. 

So now, Judah said, that if he went home without Benjamin, 
when their father saw that Benjamin was not with them, he 
would die. For Judah had promised to bring him back safely 










































THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


83 


to his father, and had told his father that if he did not bring 
him back he would bear the blame forever. Then Judah begged 
Joseph to let him stay and be his servant in Benjamin’s place, 
and to let Benjamin go home to his father. 

Then Joseph could hide himself from them no longer, and 
he commanded all his servants to go out of the room, so that 
no one was left there but Joseph and his brethren. And he 
wept out loud, and his brethren heard him and saw him weep¬ 
ing. And he said to them, I am Joseph; does my father yet 
live? But they were afraid and could not answer him. And 
Joseph said to them, Come near to me, I pray you. And they 
came near; and he said, I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye 
sold into Egypt. 

Then he told them not to be troubled, nor angry with them¬ 
selves, because they had sold him, for God had sent him into 
Egypt to save people alive, and to keep them from starving in 
the famine. Joseph did not mean to say that his brethren did 
right when they sold him, but that God had made good to come 
out of the evil which they had done; Joseph told them this, so 
that they might not be unhappy and afraid. For he loved them, 
and had forgiven their unkindness to him, and did not want them 
to be unhappy now when he was so glad to see them once more. 

And Joseph told them that the famine had been in Egypt two 
years, and would be there five years longer. In these years 
there would be no harvest, or planting of seed in the ground, 
for God had said the famine should last that long. And Joseph 
told his brethren that God had sent him into Egypt before them, 
to save them from starving. And he said to them, Make haste 
and go back to my father in Canaan, and say to him, Thus 
saith thy son Joseph, God has made me ruler over all Egypt. 
Come down to me, and thou shalt live in the best part of the 
land, and shalt be near to me; thou and thy children, thy flocks 
and thy herds, and all that thou hast. And I will take care 
of thee, lest thou and thy family should come to be poor. 

And Joseph said to his brethren, Your eyes see, and my 
brother Benjamin’s eyes see, that it is my mouth that speaketh 
unto you. You shall tell my father of all my greatness in 


84 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Egypt, and of all that you have seen, and you shall make haste 
and bring down my father here. And Joseph leaned on his 
brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, for he was more glad to see 
him than he could tell; and Benjamin wept on his neck. And 
Joseph kissed all his brethren and wept on them, and afterward 
they talked with him. 

When Pharaoh heard that Joseph’s brethren had come, it 
pleased him well. And he told Joseph to tell them they should 
load their beasts and go back to the land of Canaan, and get 
their father, their wives, and their little children, and bring them 
to him. They should take wagons for their wives and their lit¬ 
tle ones to ride in, and they should bring their families and come; 
but they need bring nothing else, Pharaoh said, for it was the 
same as if all the good things in the land of Egypt belonged 
to them. 

And Joseph’s brethren did so; and he gave them wagons, as 
Pharaoh had commanded, and food to eat while they were gone. 
And to all of them he gave raiment; but to Benjamin he gave 
more than to any of the others, and also three hundred pieces of 
silver. To his father he sent twenty asses loaded with bread 
and meat, and good things from the land of Egypt. Then he 
sent his brethren to their own home, and told them to be careful 
lest they should quarrel with one another by the way. 

So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father in 
Canaan, and said to him, Joseph is yet alive, and is governor 
over all the land of Egypt. But it seemed too wonderful to be 
true, and Jacob did not believe them; yet when he heard all the 
kind words that Joseph had spoken, and saw the wagons which 
Pharaoh had sent to carry him, Jacob believed what his sons 
told him; and he said, It is enough. Joseph, my son, is yet 
alive; I will go and see him before I die. 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


85 


CHAPTERS XLYI.-L. 

B. C. 1706-1635. 

ISRAEL. COMES DOWN INTO EGYPT. JOSEPH BRINGS HIM TO PHARAOH 
AND HE BLESSES PHARAOH. THE ISRAELITES LIVE IN THE LAND 
OF GOSHEN. JACOB DIES. HIS SONS CARRY HIM UP TO CANAAN 
AND BURY HIM THERE. JOSEPH DIES. 

A ND Israel left his home in Canaan and went on his journey 
to the land of Egypt. And he came to Beer-sheba, where 
Isaac his father had built an altar many years before; and Israel 
stopped there and offered up sacrifices to God. And God spoke 
to him in the night and said, Jacob, Jacob. He answered, Here 
am I. God said, Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will 
there make of thee a great nation. A nation is a great many 
people who live together in the same country, and have one king, 
or ruler, over them. And God said he would make Jacob’s de¬ 
scendants so many, while they were in Egypt, that they should 
be a great nation there. And he told Jacob he would go down 
with him to take care of him, and that when the time came for 
him to die, Joseph should be by his side. 

And Jacob left Beer-sheba; and his sons took him, and their 
wives and their little children, in the wagons which Pharaoh had 
sent to carry them. They took their cattle, also, and all that 
belonged to them in Canaan, and came into Egypt—Jacob and 
all his children with him, his sons and their sons and daughters; 
they did not leave one behind. There were sixty-six of Jacob’s 
descendants, that is, of his children and his children’s children, 
who came with him. Joseph and his sons made three more— 
that was sixty-nine; and Jacob himself made seventy, altogether, 
of the family of Israel that came into EgyjJt. 

And Jacob sent Judah, his son, to go on before him and tell 
Joseph that his father was coming. When Joseph heard it he 
made ready his chariot to go out and meet his father. And 
when he met him he came to him, and leaned on his neck, and 
w r ept on his neck a good while. And Israel said to Joseph, Now 
let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. 
He was so glad to see Joseph, and to know he was still alive, 
that he felt as though there was nothing else he need stay for in 
this world; he felt willing to die. 


86 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And Joseph said to his brethren that he would go and tell 
Pharaoh they had come, and had brought their flocks and their 
herds with them. And he said that when Pharaoh should call 
them to him, and ask what kind of work they had been used to, 
they should tell him they had always taken care of cattle, and 
that their fathers had taken care of cattle also. Joseph told 
them to say this because it was the truth, and because he wanted 
Pharaoh to let them live in Goshen, which was the best part of 
the land of Egypt for feeding cattle. 

And Joseph came to Pharaoh, and said, My father and my 
brethren, and their flocks and their herds, and all that they have, 
are come out of the land of Canaan, and they are in the land of 
Goshen. And Joseph took five of his brethren and brought 
them to Pharaoh, and Pharaoh asked them what kind of work 
they were used to. Then they answered him as Joseph had told 
them. And they said that they had come to stay for a while in 
Egypt, because there was no food for their flocks in the land of 
Canaan, the famine was so dreadful there. And they begged 
Pharaoh to let them live in Goshen. And Pharaoh spoke to 
Joseph, and said that his father and his brethren might live in 
the best part of the land of Egypt, they might live in Goshen. 
And Pharaoh told Joseph that if any of his brethren were in¬ 
dustrious men, he should make them rulers over his cattle; for 
Pharaoh had cattle of his own. 

And Joseph brought Jacob, his father, to Pharaoh, and Jacob 
blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh asked him how old he was. 
He answered that he was a hundred and thirty years old. Jacob 
called these hundred and thirty years the years of his pilgrim¬ 
age. A pilgrim is a person going on a journey. Jacob was 
going on a journey all those hundred and thirty years. To 
what place was he going ? To his home in heaven, for he loved 
and served God. So Joseph gave his father and his brethren a 
place where they should live, in the land of Goshen, as Pharaoh 
had commanded him. And Joseph was very kind to them, 
and gave them and their little children as much food as 
they needed. 

But the famine was very dreadful in Egypt, and in Canaan, 



JOSEPH MEETING HIS FATHER. 






















88 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


and the people had no bread to eat. And they came to Joseph 
to buy corn until they gave him all their money, and he gave it 
to Pharaoh. After they had given all their money, the Egyptians 
still came and asked for bread, for, they said, they had no more 
money. Then Joseph told them to bring their cattle; and they 
did so, and for their cattle he gave them bread—enough to last 
through that year. 

When the year was ended, they came to Joseph again, and 
told him their money was spent, and they had given him all their 
cattle; so they had nothing left but their lands and themselves. 
And they said they would give their lands to Pharaoh, and be 
his servants, if Joseph would let them have bread. Then Joseph 
gave them more bread, and so he bought all the land of Egypt 
for Pharaoh. Afterward he sent the people to the different cities 
to be fed there, for he had saved up the corn in the cities. 

But at last the seven years of famine were ended, and Joseph 
gave the people seed to plant in the ground, because he knew 
that now the corn would grow again. And he told the people 
that as they had sold all their land to Pharaoh, it was not their 
own any longer; yet Pharaoh was willing they should keep it, 
if, when the corn grew, they would give a fifth part of it to 
him. The people answered that Joseph was the one who had 
saved them from starving, and therefore they were willing to do 
as he said; they were willing to give a fifth part of the corn 
to Pharaoh. 

So the famine was over in Egypt, but Joseph’s brethren still 
lived in the land of Goshen; and they and their children came to 
be a good many people. And Israel, their father, lived with 
them for seventeen years; then the time came near for him to 
die. And he called Joseph, and told him that he did not wish 
to be buried in Egypt, but in Canaan; and he made Joseph 
promise that he would carry his dead body up to that land, 
and bury him there. 

After this some one came to Joseph, and said, Thy father is 
sick. Then Joseph took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, 
and went to the house where his father was. When Israel heard 
that Joseph had come, he made ready to see him, and sat up on 


THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 


89 


his bed. And Jacob talked with Joseph, and told him how God 
had spoken to him, and blessed him many years before, when he 
had his dream in the land of Canaan. Then Jacob told Joseph 
that Ephraim and Manasseh were like his own sons to him ; that 
is, Jacob took Joseph’s sons to be his sons. And when Israel 
knew that the boys were there, he asked Joseph to bring them 
to him that he might bless them. Now Israel was very old, and 
his eyes were dim; and when Joseph brought his sons near, 
Israel put his arms around them and kissed them. And he said 
that he used to think he would never see Joseph again, but now 
God had let him see not Joseph only, but his children also. 

And Joseph bowed down with his face to the earth before his 
father, and he took his two sons and brought them near to his 
father. And Israel stretched- out his hands, and laid his right 
hand on Ephraim’s head, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, 
to bless them. And Israel blessed both the sons of Joseph, and 
he blessed Joseph also. And he called all his other sons, and 
blessed each one of them, and told them he was going to die, 
but that God would be with them, and bring them back to the 
land of Canaan; and he commanded his sons to bury him in 
that land, in the cave that was in the field, which Abraham 
had bought of Ephron the Hittite. There, said he, they buried 
Abraham, and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac, and 
Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. And after Jacob 
had done speaking with his sons, he lifted up his feet into the 
bed and died. 

Then Joseph put his face down to his father’s face and wept 
over him and kissed him. And he commanded his servants, 
the physicians, to embalm his father. To embalm a dead per¬ 
son was to put spices, and such other things into his body, as 
would keep it from decaying and going to dust; and Joseph’s 
servants embalmed Israel. And the Egyptians mourned for 
him seventy days. 

And Joseph sent word to Pharaoh that his father, before he 
died, had made him promise not to bury him in Egypt, but in 
his own sepulchre in the land of Canaan. And he asked permis¬ 
sion of Pharaoh to go and bury him there; afterward, Joseph 


90 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



said, he would come back to Egypt. And Pharaoh told him to 
do as he had promised. Then Joseph went up to bury Israel, 
and with him went all Pharaoh’s servants and many great men 
from the land of Egypt. Joseph’s brethren went also; only 
their little children and their flocks and their herds, stayed be- 


JACOB’S BURIAL. 

hind. And there went up chariots, and men riding on horses, 
and a great many people. So Israel’s sons did as he had com¬ 
manded them, for they carried him into Canaan and buried him 
in the cave which Abraham had bought of Ephron the Hittite. 
Afterward Joseph came back into Egypt, he and all those who 
had gone up with him. 

When his brethren saw that their father was dead, they began 
to fear Joseph again, and said that now he would surely punish 
them for all the evil they had done to him. And they sent a 
messenger to tell him that his father left word, before he died, 













THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


91 


asking Joseph to forgive them. When Joseph heard their words 
he wept, for he knew they had sent that message because they 
were afraid of him. And they came and fell down before his 
face, saying, We are thy servants. But he told them not to 
be afraid, for though they had intended to do him harm, God 
meant to do good by sending him into Egypt, that he might 
save many people from starving in the famine. And Joseph 
said to his brethren, I will take care of you and of your little 
ones. And he spoke kindly to them and comforted them. 

And Joseph and his brethren stayed in Egypt, and Joseph 
lived till Ephraim’s sons and Manasseh’s sons were grown up 
and had children of their own. But after many years, he told 
his brethren that he was going to die; yet some day, he said, 
God would certainly come to the children of Israel, (that is, to 
all of Jacob’s descendants) and would bring them out of Egypt 
into that land which he had promised Abraham, and Isaac, and 
Jacob, to give them ; he meant, the land of Canaan. And he 
. made the children of Israel promise that when God should bring 
them there, they would carry up his dead body with them. 

So Joseph died when he was a hundred and ten years old, and 
they embalmed him, and put him in a coffin in Egypt. 


THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


CHAPTERS I.-VII. 

B. C. 1706-1491. 

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL GROW TO BE A GREAT MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE. 
A NEW KING IS CRUEL TO THEM. MOSES IS BORN; PHARAOH’S 
DAUGHTER TAKES HIM FOR HER SON. HE KILLS AN EGYPTIAN AND 
FLEES TO MIDIAN. GOD SPEAKS TO HIM FROM THE BURNING BUSH, 
AND SENDS HIM AND AARON TO BRING THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL OUT 
OF EGYPT. AARON’S ROD IS CHANGED INTO A SERPENT, AND THE 
WATER INTO BLOOD. 

A FTER Joseph died his brethren died also; but their de¬ 
scendants lived and grew to be a great multitude of people. 
And a new king ruled over Egypt. His name was Pharaoh, 
like the one who had been so kind to Joseph; but this Pharaoh 




92 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



had never known Joseph. And when he saw how many there 
were of the children of Israel, he was afraid of them. He 
thought that some day, when his enemies should come and make 
war against him, the children of Israel would help them, and 
afterward would rise up and go out of his land ; he did not want 
them to do this; he wanted them to stay and be his servants. 

So this wicked king persuaded the people of Egypt to treat 


ISRAELITES AT LABOR. 

the children of Israel very cruelly; they set taskmasters over 
them, and made their lives unhappy by forcing them to labor as 
slaves, in building houses and doing all kinds of work out in 
the field. But the more cruelly the Israelites were treated, the 
more there came to be of them, for, as we have read, God had 
promised Jacob, when he was coming down into Egypt, to make 
his descendants a great nation there; and now God was doing 


















THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


93 



as he had promised. He was making them so many that they 
would be a great nation. 

And Pharaoh told the women who took care of the Israelites’ 
little children, to kill all the boys as soon as they were born. 
The girls he was willing to let live, because they would never be 
able to fight against him. But those women feared God, and 
would not obey the king. They let the little boys live also, and 
God blessed them for doing it. Then Pharaoh gave all his peo- 


pharaoh’s DAUGHTER FINDS MOSES. 


pie permission to take the little boys that belonged to the chil¬ 
dren of Israel, and throw them into the river, to drown them; 
but the little girls, he said, they should save alive. 

There was a man among the Israelites named Amram. His 
wife’s name was Jochebed, and God gave them a son. The child 
was very beautiful, and his mother loved him, but she feared 







94 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


that some of Pharaoh’s servants would come and take him from 
her, to kill him. Therefore she hid him for three months after 
he was born, but then found she could hide him no longer. So 
she took a little ark, or boat, made out of the long weeds that 
grew by the river, and daubed it over with pitch to keep out the 
water. And she put her baby into the ark and laid it carefully 
among the bushes at the edge of the river. But the little boy’s 
sister waited, not far off, to see what might happen to him. 

And the daughter of king Pharaoh came down to bathe in 
the river, and she and her maidens walked along by the river’s 
side. When she saw the ark among the bushes, she sent one of 
them to bring it. The maiden brought it, and as Pharaoh’s 
daughter looked into it, the little boy wept; and she pitied him, 
and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children. Then his sister, 
who had been watching, came near and spoke to the king’s 
daughter, saying, May I not go and call one of the Hebrew 
women to nurse the child for thee ? She said, Go. And his 
sister went and called her mother. When she came, Pharaoh’s 
daughter said to her, Take this child away and nurse it for me, 
and I will give thee thy wages. So his mother carried him back 
to her own home and nursed him there. 

But after a while Pharaoh’s daughter sent for the child. Then 
his mother brought him to her. And Pharaoh’s daughter took 
him into her house to be as her own son, and she called his name 
Moses, which means, “ drawn out,” because, she said, I drew him 
out of the water. Yet when he was grown to be a man, he knew 
that he was not the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, but was one of 
the children of Israel; and although he might have been rich 
and great, if he had stayed with her, he chose rather to go and 
live with his own people. 

And he went out one day to the place where the Israelites 
worked for the Egyptians. There he saw a cruel Egyptian 
striking an Hebrew. Then Moses looked this way and that, 
and, when he saw no one near, he killed the Egyptian and hid 
his body in the sand; for Moses believed that God had sent him 
to set the children of Israel free, and he supposed they would un¬ 
derstand this. And he went out another day, but this time he 



THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 95 

saw two of the children of Israel quarrelling together. And he 
spoke to the one who did wrong, and asked him why he struck 
the other. He answered, saying, Who made thee a ruler over 
us? Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday? 
Then Moses was afraid, for he thought that other persons must 
know of what he had done. 

When Pharaoh was told of it, he tried to kill Moses; but 


MOSES SLAYS THE EGYPTIAN. 

Moses fled out of Egypt to the land of Midian, where Pharaoh 
could not find him. And he sat down by a well in that land, and 
some women came to draw water. There were seven of them who 
"were sisters. They wanted to draw water for their father’s flock, 
but some shepherds drove them away. Then Moses helped them 
and gave their flock water. When they went home to their 
father, whose name was Jethro, he asked them, How is it that 
you are come so soon to-day ? They answered, An Egyptian 
saved us from the shepherds, and also drew water for the flock. 
Then Jethro asked where the man was, and why they had left 
him. And he told them to go and call him, that he might have 
























96 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


something to eat. So they called Moses, and he went to Jethro’s 
house, and he lived there many years, and took one of Jethro’s 
daughters for his wife. 

While Moses lived in the land of Midian, Pharaoh, the king 
of Egypt, died. But the people of Egypt were still very cruel 
to the children of Israel, and the children of Israel cried to the 
Lord because of their sufferings, and the Lord heard them and 
looked down from heaven and pitied them. 

Now Moses took care of Jethro’s flock, and he led it out into 
the wilderness, to find pasture, till he came to a mountain called 
Horeb. On this mountain the Lord spoke to him. For there 
came up fire out of a bush that grew on the mountain; and 
when Moses looked, he saw that the bush was not burned, 
though the fire came up out of it. Then he said, I will turn 
and see this wonderful sight—why the bush is not burned. And 
when he turned, God called to him out of the bush, and said, 
Moses, Moses. He answered, Here am I. And God told him 
not to come near, but to take his shoes from off his feet, because 
the place where he stood was holy ground. It was holy, and 
Moses was not to come near, because God was there. God said 
to him, also, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, 

the God of Isaac, and 
the God of Jacob. 
And Moses hid his 
face, for he was afraid 
to look upon God. 
Then God told him 
that he had seen the 
affliction of the chil¬ 
dren of Israel, and 
heard their cries, 
and had come down 
to set them free from 
the Egyptians. 

Now the king who 
ruled at this time in Egypt was named Pharaoh, like those 
who had lived before him, because the Egyptians called all 








THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


97 


their kings by this name. And the Lord told Moses he would 
send him to Pharaoh, that he might tell Pharaoh to let the 
children of Israel go; and the Lord said that Moses should lead 
them out of Egypt, and bring them to that mountain where he 
was then talking with him. But Moses was afraid to go; he 
said, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the 
children of Israel out of Egypt ? God said to him, Certainly I 
will be with thee to help thee. 

And God commanded Moses to go and tell the children of 
Israel, that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, 
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, had sent him to bring 
them out of Egypt to a good land, where they should have milk 
to drink and honey to eat. After Moses had told them this, he 
was to speak to Pharaoh and ask him to let them go. But 
Moses answered the Lord, and said, that when he should come 
into Egypt and tell the children of Israel these things, he was 
sure they would not listen to him, nor believe that the Lord had 
spoken to him at all. 

Now Moses held a rod in his hand, and the Lord said to him, 
What is that in thine hand? Moses answered, A rod. The 
Lord said, Cast it on the ground. And Moses cast it on the 
ground, and God made it change into a serpent, so that Moses 
was afraid of it and fled away before it. And the Lord said, 
Put out thy hand and take it by the tail. And Moses took it 
and it was changed back again into a rod in his hand. 

And the Lord said to Moses, Put now thy hand into thy 
bosom. Moses put his hand into his bosom, and when he took 
it out, it was white as snow; for it was covered with a dreadful 
disease called leprosy, which made it look white like snow. And 
God said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. And Moses put 
it into his bosom, and when he took it out, it was well and 
covered with leprosy no more. 

God gave Moses power to do these two wonderful works, or 
miracles, so that when the children of Israel should see them, 
they might believe that God had sent him. But if they would 
not believe after he had done them both, then, God said, Moses 
should take some water out of the river that was in Egypt, and 
7 


98 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


pour it on the dry ground; and the water should be changed 
into blood on the ground where Moses had poured it. Still, 
Moses did not want to go, and he began to make excuses for not 
going. He was not eloquent, he said, that is, he could not speak 
well before the people. But the Lord commanded him again to 
go, and said he would teach him what to say. Yet Moses begged 
the Lord to send some one else. Then the Lord was angry, 
because he was still unwilling to go. 

And Moses had a brother named Aaron. God said that 
Aaron could speak well, and that he should go with him into 
Egypt; Moses should tell Aaron what to say, but Aaron should 
tell it to the people. And God said he would teach them both 
what they should do; and he told Moses to take his rod in his 
hand, for with it he should do wonderful things. All this time, 
while God was talking with Moses, Moses w r as on mount Horeb 
by the bush that burned with fire. He had gone there, as we 
have read, with Jethro’s flock. When the Lord was done talk¬ 
ing with him, Moses went to Jethro’s house again and asked 
permission to go back into Egypt, that he might see his brethren 
the children of Israel, and Jethro gave him permission to go. 

And the Lord commanded Aaron, Moses’ brother, to come 
out and meet him at mount Horeb; and Aaron came there and 
met Moses, and he was glad and kissed him. And Moses told 
Aaron of all the words that God had spoken. Then Moses and 
Aaron went into Egypt and spoke to the children of Israel. 
They could not speak to all of them at once, there were too many 
to hear; so they sent for the chief men among them, called 
elders, and told them, and the elders told the people. They 
showed them the miracles, also, that God had given Moses 
power to do. When the children of Israel saw these, they be¬ 
lieved that God had sent Moses and Aaron, and that he was 
coming, as he had promised, to take them out of Egypt. 

After they had spoken with the elders, Moses and Aaron went 
to Pharaoh, and said, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my 
people go that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 
But Pharaoh answered, Who is the Lord that I should obey 
him ? I know not the Lord, neither will I let the children of 


THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


99 


Israel go. Then Moses and Aaron told him that it was God 
who had spoken to them, and they begged Pharaoh to let them 
go, lest, if they should not, God might punish them for their 
disobedience. But Pharaoh was angry when they said this to 
him. He asked why they kept the people from their work by 
telling them they were to go out of Egypt, and he told Moses 
and Aaron to go and work themselves. 

Now the children of Israel were digging clay out of the 
ground and making bricks with it, for that was the work which 
Pharaoh made them do. These bricks were not burned in the 
fire as ours are, to harden them; they were only baked in the 
sun. But to make them tougher and stronger, the clay they 
were made of was mixed with pieces of straw. This straw was 
gathered out in the fields by men who brought it to the children 
of Israel, for them to work it up with the clay before they made 
the bricks. But Pharaoh was so angry at the children of Israel 
for wanting to go out of Egypt, that he said they must go and 
gather the straw themselves; and yet that they must make as 
many bricks as they used to make, when it was gathered for 
them. For they were idle, Pharaoh said, and that was the reason 
they cried, Let us go and serve the Lord. 

Then the taskmasters went and told the children of Israel 
that Pharaoh said, I will not give you straw. Go get straw 
where you can find it. So these poor men went out into the 
fields, after the grain had been reaped, and gathered up the straw 
that was left, and carried it away to make bricks with. But 
though they worked very hard, they could not make as many 
as they had made when the straw was brought to them, and 
some of them were beaten because they did not. Then they 
came to Pharaoh and told him that the fault was not theirs. 
Pharaoh answered, Ye are idle, ye are idle; that is the reason 
you say, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord. And he told them 
to go and work, for no straw should be giyen them. 

Then the children of Israel were in great distress, and some 
of them went to Moses and Aaron, and said that they had done 
them harm and not good, for they had made Pharaoh hate them, 
and treat them more cruelly than he treated them before. And 


100 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Moses went and told the Lord, and asked why he had sent him 
to speak with Pharaoh; for, Moses said, since he had spoken 
to him, Pharaoh had done evil to the children of Israel, and yet 
the Lord had not set them free. The Lord answered, that Moses 
should see what he would do to Pharaoh, to make him let the 
children of Israel go. And he commanded Moses to tell them 
that he would bring them out of Egypt, and take them to be 
his people, and would lead them to the land which he had prom¬ 
ised their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them. 

And Moses went and told the children of Israel what God 
said, but they would not listen to him. Then the Lord sent 
Moses and Aaron to speak with Pharaoh again. Moses was 
eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three, when they went 
to speak with the king. And the Lord said that when Pharaoh 
should ask them to do a miracle for him to see, Aaron should 
take the rod and throw it on the ground, and it should be 
changed into a serpent. 

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and Aaron threw down 
his rod and it was changed into a serpent. And Pharaoh called 
for his servants, the magicians, or wise men of Egypt. And 
they came with rods in their hands, and when they had thrown 
them down, their rods also were changed into serpents, because 
the Lord let the magicians do as Aaron had done. Then Aaron’s 
rod swallowed up all the other rods, but Pharaoh would not let 
the children of Israel go. 

And the Lord told Moses to stand in the morning by the 
river’s side, and when Pharaoh should come there, to speak with 
him and say, The God of the Hebrews, (that is, of the children of 
Israel) has sent me to say to thee, Let my people go that they may 
offer up a sacrifice to me in the wilderness. And Moses did as 
the Lord said. He went to the river, and when Pharaoh came 
there, told him the words that the Lord had spoken. But Pha¬ 
raoh would not let the people go. Then the Lord commanded 
Aaron to take his rod and strike the waters with it, that they 
might be changed into blood. And Aaron took the rod in his 
hand and struck the waters, and Pharaoh and his servants saw 
him do it. And all the water in the river was changed into 



AARON’S ROD SWALLOWS ALL THE OTHER RODS. 






















102 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


blood, and the streams and ponds of water, all over the land of 
Egypt, were changed into blood. And the fish that were in the 
river died, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water. 

And Pharaoh’s servants, the magicians, came and, they too, 
turned water into blood, because the Lord let them do again as 
Aaron had done. And Pharaoh went home to his house, yet he 
would not let the people go. Then all the Egyptians digged in 
the ground about the river, to find water that they could drink. 
And the blood stayed in the river seven days. 


CHAPTERS VIIL-XII. 


B. C. 1491. 


MORE PLAGUES ARE SENT UPON PHARAOH AND THE PEOPLE OF 
EGYPT : AFTERWARD THEY LET THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL GO. THE 
ISRAELITES KEEP THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER. THE MEANING OF 
THIS FEAST. 

ND the Lord commanded Moses to tell Pharaoh, that if he 



-AV. would not let the people go, frogs should come over all the 
land. And Pharaoh would not let them go. Then God said 
that Aaron should hold out his rod over the waters of Egypt. 
And when Aaron held it out, the frogs came up out of the waters, 
so many of them that they covered the land. They went into 
the houses of the Egyptians, into their ovens, and into their 
kneading-troughs where they made their bread; they went into 
Pharaoh’s house, and up into his bed-chamber and on his bed. 
And Pharaoh’s servants, the magicians, also brought up frogs, 
for God allowed them once more to do as Aaron had done. 

But Pharaoh and the people of Egypt were in great trouble 
because of the frogs; and he called for Moses and Aaron, and 
asked them to pray to God that he would take the frogs away; 
then, Pharaoh said, he would let the people go to sacrifice in the 
wilderness. Moses said, When shall I pray for thee ?, Pharaoh 
answered, To-morrow. And Moses and Aaron went out from 
the place where Pharaoh was. Afterward Moses prayed to the 
Lord, and the Lord did as he asked ; the frogs that were in the 
houses, the villages, and the fields, died, and the people gathered 
them in heaps, and the smell of their decaying bodies was all 



THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


103 


over the land. But when Pharaoh saw that the frogs were 
dead, he would not let the children of Israel go. 

Then the Lord commanded Aaron to strike the dust on the 
ground with his rod. And when Aaron had done so, the dust 
was changed into very small insects, or creeping things, called 
lice, that crept on the people and on the cattle. And Pharaoh’s 
servants, the magicians, tried to bring up lice, but they could 
not, because God would not let them do as Aaron had done, any 
more. Then they told Pharaoh that it was God who did these 
things for Moses and Aaron; but Pharaoh’s heart was wicked, and 
he would not listen to them, neither would he let the people go. 

And the Lord told Moses to rise up early in the morning, and 
stand where he would see Pharaoh when he came out to the 
water. There, the Lord said, Moses should command him again 
to let the people go, and if he disobeyed, should tell him, that 
the Lord would send swarms of flies over all Egypt. And Moses 
did as the Lord commanded, yet Pharaoh would not let the 
people go. Then the Lord sent swarms of flies, and they came 
over all the land. They crept on Pharaoh, and on his servants, 
and on the people; they went into their houses, so that the 
houses of the Egyptians were full of swarms of flies, and the 
ground was covered with them. But in the land of Goshen, 
where the children of Israel lived, there was none, for the Lord 
did not send them there. 

Then Pharaoh was troubled because of the flies as he had 
been because of the frogs. And he called Moses and Aaron to 
him, and told them they might offer sacrifices to their God, 
but they must not go into the wilderness to do it; they must do 
it in Egypt. But Moses asked him whether the Egyptians would 
not be offended if the children of Israel should offer sacrifices in 
Egypt; for the Egyptians used to worship idols that were formed 
like oxen and calves, and if they had seen the children of Israel 
killing those animals and burning them on the altar, they might 
have been angry and tried to kill the people. Moses told Pha¬ 
raoh they would go three days’journey into the wilderness, where 
no one could harm them, and there they would offer sacrifices to 
the Lord, as he should command them. 


104 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Then Pharaoh said he would let them go, only they must not 
go very far. And he asked Moses to pray for him, that the flies 
might be taken from the land. Moses said he would pray that 
they might be taken away on the morrow, but he told Pharaoh 
not to deceive them any more by refusing to let the people go. 
Then Moses went and prayed to the Lord, and the Lord took 
away the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, and from his servants, 
and from his people, so that there was not one left. When Pha¬ 
raoh saw that the flies were taken away, he made his heart wicked 
this time also, and would not let the people go. 

And the Lord commanded Moses to tell Pharaoh that if he 
would not let the children of Israel go, the Lord would send, on 
the morrow, a great sickness to destroy the cattle of Egypt, but 
that he would not send it among the cattle of the children of 
Israel, for none of them should die. And Moses told Pharaoh 
this, yet he would not let the people go. Then the Lord sent that 
sickness; and the cows, the horses, the asses, the camels, and the 
sheep, died all over the land. But not one of the cattle of the 
children of Israel died. And Pharaoh sent to see if any of their 
cattle were dead; when he found they w T ere not, his heart grew 
more wicked, and he would not let the people go. 

And the Lord told Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of ashes 
from a furnace, where fire had been burning, and to sprinkle 
them up in the air so that Pharaoh could see them doing it. 
And those ashes, the Lord said, should go like dust over all the 
land, and cause sore boils to come on the men and on the ani¬ 
mals that were still left in Egypt. So Moses took ashes and 
stood before Pharaoh, and sprinkled them up in the air ; after¬ 
ward boils broke out on men and on beasts over all the land. 
And the magicians could not come to try and do as Moses had 
done, for the boils were on them also. But Pharaoh’s heart was 
still wicked, and he would not let the people go. 

And the Lord commanded Moses to rise up early in the morn¬ 
ing and stand before Pharaoh, and say that on the morrow he 
would send a great storm of hail, such as had never been in 
Egypt. And Moses was to tell Pharaoh to bring into his barns 
all his cattle from the fields, for every man and beast that should 


THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


105 


be out in the storm would be killed. And Moses did so. Then 
those Egyptians who feared the Lord, made their servants and 
their cattle come quickly into the houses and barns, where the hail 
could not hurt them ; but the others let them stay out in the field. 

And the Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand toward 
heaven, that the hail might come. And he stretched it out, 
holding up his rod; and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and 
there was fire, also, running along on the ground. So there was 
hail, and fire mixed with the hail, very dreadful, such as had 
never before been in the land. The hail came down on the 
fields, killing the men and the animals that were there, and it 
broke the bushes, and every tree that was growing in the field. 
And all the grain that was grown up, was broken and spoiled 
by the hail. But some of it was not yet grown up above the 
ground ; this was not spoiled. Yet in the land of Goshen, where 
the children of Israel lived, no hail came. 

Then Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said 
to them, I have sinned; the Lord is good, and I and my people 
are wicked. Pray to the Lord that he may take away the 
mighty thunder and hail, and I will let you go and you shall 
stay no longer. Moses answered that as soon as he should go out 
of the city he would pray to the Lord, and the thunder should 
cease and there should be no more hail. Yet, he said, he knew 
that Pharaoh and his servants would not obey the Lord. And 
Moses went out from Pharaoh into the terrible storm ; but God 
kept the hail and fire from harming him. And when he had 
gone out of the city, he lifted up his hands and prayed to God, 
and the thunders ceased, and the hail came down no more. 
Then when Pharaoh saw that they had ceased, he made his 
heart still more hard and obstinate, both he and his servants, 
and they would not let the people go. 

And Moses and Aaron came to him again, saying, that if he 
would not obey the Lord, on the morrow the locusts should come 
into his land. Now Pharaoh’s servants were afraid to be pun¬ 
ished any more. They remembered when the river was turned 
into blood, so that they had no water to drink. They remembered, 
also, the frogs, and the lice, and the flies; the sickness of the cat- 


106 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


tie, the boils, and the hail, which had been sent into Egypt 
already. Therefore they begged Pharaoh to let the children of 
Israel go, that no more punishments might be sent upon them. 

Then Moses and Aaron were brought before Pharaoh, and he 
said to them, Go, serve the Lord your God; but who are they 
that shall go ? Moses answered, that all the children of Israel 
would go—the young and the old, with their sons and their 
daughters, their flocks and their herds; for they must hold a 
feast to the Lord. But Pharaoh said that only the men might 
go—the women and children must stay in Egypt. And Moses 
and Aaron were driven away from the place where they talked 
with Pharaoh. 

And the Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand for the 
locusts to come. Then Moses took the rod and held it out; and 
the Lord made an east wind to blow on the land all that day 
and all that night, and in the morning the wind brought the 
locusts. They went up over all the land of Egypt, and covered 
the ground so that it could not be seen for them. They filled 
Pharaoh’s house, and the houses of his servants, and the houses 
of all the Egyptians. They ate up the fruits which the hail 
had left, and every green thing, until there was not a leaf to be 
seen, on the bushes or on the trees, through all the land. 

Then Pharaoh made haste to call for Moses and Aaron, and 
said, I have sinned against the Lord and against you. And he 
asked Moses to forgive him, only this once, and to pray that God 
would take away the locusts. And Moses went out and prayed 
to the Lord. And the Lord sent a very strong w T est wind, which 
blew away the locusts and cast them into the Red Sea, where 
they were drowned, so that there was not one locust left in all 
Egypt. But when Pharaoh saw that the locusts were taken 
away, he would not let the people go. 

And the Lord commanded Moses to hold up his hand toward 
heaven, that it might be dark in the land. And Moses held up 
his hand, and there came a great darkness over all Egypt, so 
that the Egyptians could not see one another, nor move from the 
places they were in, for three days. But in the houses of the 
children of Israel there was light. Then Pharaoh called for 


THE BOOK OF EXODTJS . 


107 


Moses, and said, Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and 
your herds stay. Let your little children go with you. But 
Moses told him their flocks and their herds must go also, that 
they might have sacrifices and burnt offerings, for they did not 
know how many of these they would need till they should come 
into the wilderness. The Lord would tell them there what ani¬ 
mals they must kill and offer up to him. But when Moses said 
this, Pharaoh would not let the people go; and he told Moses to 
leave him and come before him no more, for if he should see his 
face again Moses should surely be put to death. 

Then Moses told Pharaoh of one more punishment; he said, 
that the Lord himself was coming into Egypt; he would come, 
Moses said, about the middle of the night, and would cause the 
oldest son in every house to die. Pharaoh’s oldest son and the 
oldest sons of all his servants, should die on that dreadful night, 
and there would be a great cry of trouble and grief over all the 
land, such as had never been before and would never be again. 
But not even a dog should harm one of the children of Israel. 
None of their sons should die, so that Pharaoh might know that 
he and his people were the ones whom the Lord intended to 
punish, and not the children of Israel. After this punishment, 
Moses said, the Egyptians would come and bow down to him, 
and beg him to take the people and go out of the land. And 
when Moses had told Pharaoh this, he went out from him in 
great anger. 

And the Lord commanded the Israelites, both the men and 
the women, to ask the Egyptians for their jewels of silver and 
their jewels of gold ; their necklaces and earrings, and whatever 
ornaments they wore; and when the children of Israel did so, 
the Lord made the Egyptians willing to give them a great many 
of these things. 

And the Lord told Moses and Aaron, that every man among 
the children of Israel should take a lamb from the flock, and 
keep it four days. Afterward he was to kill it in the evening. 
And he was to take a bunch of a plant called hyssop, and to 
dip it in the blood of the lamb. Then he was to go to the 
door of his house, and strike the hyssop upon each side ot the 


108 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


door, and over it, so that there would be three marks of blood 
outside of every house where the children of Israel lived. When 
the man had done this, he was to go into the house again, and no 
one was to come out of it until morning. 

And the lamb which had been killed w r as to be roasted with 
fire, and every person in the house was to eat of it that night. 
This is the way they were to eat of it: with their clothes girded 
around them, their shoes on their feet and their staves in their 
hands, all ready to go out of Egypt. They were to make haste 
while they ate of it; because the Lord would go through the 
land that night, and would cause the oldest sons of all the 
Egyptians to die, so that Pharaoh and his people should let the 
children of Israel go. But he promised that, when he saw the 
marks of the blood on the houses w T here the children of Israel 
lived, he would pass over those houses, and not harm any one in 
them. Therefore the supper of the lamb, which the children of 
Israel ate that night, was called the Lord’s passover. And the 
Lord commanded them, at this supper, and for seven days after¬ 
ward, to eat only one kind of bread. It was called unleavened 
bread, because there was no leaven, or yeast, in it. 

And Moses called the elders of the children of Israel to him, 
and told them what the Lord had said, and the elders told the 
people. Then every man took his lamb, and kept it four days. 
Afterward he killed it in the evening, and dipped the bunch of 
hyssop in its blood, and struck the wood outside of his door, so 
that there were three marks of blood on every house where the 
children of Israel lived. And those who were in the house, ate 
of the lamb that night; they ate of it with their clothes girded 
around them, with their shoes on their feet, and with their staves 
in their hands, all ready to go out of Egypt. 

And that same night, in the middle of the night, the Lord 
passed through the land. And wherever he saw the marks of 
the blood on a house, he passed over that house and did no harm 
to any one in it. But on the houses of the Egyptians there were 
no marks of blood, and the Lord sent his destroying angel into 
every Egyptian’s house, and caused the oldest son there to die. 
Pharaoh’s son and the sons of his servants died. And the king 


THE DESTROYING ANGEL PASSING THROUGH EGYPT, 


THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


109 













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110 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


rose up in the night, and all his people, and there was a great 
cry of distress through all the land, for there was not a house 
where there was not one dead. 

And Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and told them to 
go out of Egypt and to take all the children of Israel with them. 
He said, Take your flocks and your herds, and be gone. And 
the Egyptians begged them to go, and to go quickly, for they 
were afraid that the Lord would cause them all to die. And the 
children of Israel went, carrying their clothes bound up with 
their kneading troughs on their shoulders. And the Egyptians 
gave them jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment also, 
so they went out with great riches. And many other persons 
who were not Israelites went with them. 

We have read in the book of Genesis where God told Abra¬ 
ham that his descendants should live in a strange land for many 
years, and that the people there would treat them cruelly. Yet 
God said he would punish the people who treated them so, and 
afterward would bring the children of Israel out of that land 
with great riches. It had been more than four hundred years 
since God spoke those words to Abraham, but now he made 
them come true. 

The lamb which the children of Israel killed at the supper of 
the passover, was like the lamb which Abel offered up on the 
altar. We have read how Abel’s lamb meant, or represented, 
the Saviour. So this passover lamb represented him. The 
passover lamb died for the people, and the Saviour was coming, 
after many years, to die for them. When the Lord came into 
Egypt in the night, he did not punish those who had the marks 
of the lamb’s blood on their houses. And when he shall come 
to the earth on the Judgment day, he will not punish those who 
have the marks of the Saviour’s blood on their hearts, that is, 
whose hearts have been cleansed from sin by his blood. 


THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


Ill 


CHAPTERS XIII.-XXIV. 

B. C. 1491. 

GOD GOES BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IN A PILLAR OF CLOUD. 
THEY PASS THROUGH THE RED SEA. THE EGYPTIANS FOLLOWING 
THEM, ARE DROWNED. THE ISRAELITES MURMUR, AND MANNA AND 
QUAILS ARE SENT, AND WATER OUT OF THE ROCK. THEY FIGHT 
WITH THE AMALEKITES. GOD SPEAKS THE WORDS OF THE TEN 
COMMANDMENTS. 

4 FTER Pharaoh had let the children of Israel go, the Lord 
led them toward Canaan. Yet not by the shortest way, 
which passed through the land of the Philistines, lest the Phil¬ 
istines should make war against them and they should be dis¬ 
couraged and go back into* Egypt. The Lord showed them 
another way, toward the Red Sea. And Moses took the dead 
body of Joseph with him, because, as we have read, Joseph, be¬ 
fore he died, made the children of Israel promise that they would 
carry him up when they should go back to Canaan. 

And the people journeyed to a place called Etham on the edge 
of the wilderness. There they set up their tents and made a 
camp. As they journeyed, the Lord went before them in a cloud 
to show them the way. The cloud was shaped like a pillar, 
reaching up toward heaven. They could see it all the time. In 
the day it was the color of a cloud, but at night it was the color 
of fire. It gave them light at night, so that they could journey 
both in the day and in the night when the Lord commanded. 
And the Lord did not take away the pillar of cloud in the day, 
or the pillar of fire in the night, from before the people. 

But after the children of Israel had left Egypt, Pharaoh and 
his servants were sorry they had let them go, and they said, Why 
have we let Israel go from serving us? Then Pharaoh made 
ready his chariot, and took with him all the chariots in which 
his soldiers rode out to battle, and went after them. And he 
came up to them while they were encamping by the sea. When 
Pharaoh came near, the children of Israel looked back and 
saw the Egyptians marching after them. Then they were greatly 
afraid and cried out to the Lord. They blamed Moses also, for 
bringing them away from Egypt. It would have been better for 
them, they said, to stay and work for the Egyptians, than to be 


112 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


slain there in the wilderness. But Moses told the people not to 
fear. He said to them, Wait, and see how the Lord will save 
you; for the Egyptians, whom ye have seen to-day, you shall 
see no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you need 
do nothing but be still. 

And Pharaoh and his army followed after the children of 
Israel until they had almost come up with them. Then the 
cloud which went before the children of Israel, changed its 
place and came behind them. It came between Pharaoh’s army 
and the children of Israel. That side of it which was turned 
toward Pharaoh’s army grew very dark, so that his soldiers 



THE EGYPTIANS ARE DROWNED IN THE RED SEA. 


could not see to come any nearer to the children of Israel all 
that night. But the other side of the cloud, which was turned 
toward the children of Israel, was bright like fire and gave 
them light in their camp. 

And the Lord said to Moses, Speak unto the children of 







THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


113 


Israel, that they go forward. And lift up thy rod and stretch 
out thy hand oyer the sea, and the children of Israel shall go 
on dry ground through the sea. Then Moses lifted up his rod 
and stretched out his hand over the sea. And the Lord sent 
a great wind all that night, which blew the water away from 
that part of the sea, so that the bottom of the sea was left dry. 
And the children of Israel went down into it, and walked on 
the bottom of the sea on dry ground. The waters were piled 
up high on each side of them like a wall; yet they did not 
come down to drown them, all the while they were walking 
through the sea. 

And that is the way the children of Israel went out of Egypt. 
They walked through the Bed Sea on dry ground, till they all 
came safe to the other side. When Pharaoh saw they had gone, 
he and his chariots and his horsemen followed after them, for 
he thought that they would be able to pass through the sea as 
the children of Israel had done. But in the morning the Lord 
looked out of the pillar of fire and of the cloud, on the Egyp¬ 
tians as they were marching through the sea. And he made 
the wheels of their chariots come off, so that they could drive 
but slowly, and he troubled the Egyptians. Then they were 
afraid and said to each other, Let us make haste back, for the 
Lord fights against us, and he fights for the children of Israel. 
But before they had time to go, the Lord told Moses to stretch 
out his hand over the sea once more. And Moses stretched out 
his hand ; and the waters came together again and covered the 
Egyptians in the bottom of the sea. Then all Pharaoh’s horses 
and his horsemen, and all his army, were drowned. Not one of 
them was left alive. And the children of Israel saw them lying 
dead upon the seashore, where the waters washed them up. 

But Moses and the Israelites were safe on the other side of 
the Bed Sea. There they sang a song of praise to the Lord for 
saving them from Pharaoh. And Moses brought the people 
into the wilderness, and they journeyed for three days and 
found no water. And they came to a place called Marah. 
There they found water, but when they had tasted it they could 
not drink, for it was bitter. Then they complained against 


114 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Moses, and said, What shall we drink? And Moses prayed 
to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree which he took 
and threw into the water, and the water was made sweet so 
that the people could drink of it. 

And they journeyed and came to Elim, where were twelve 
wells and seventy palm trees. And they journeyed again, and 
came to the desert of Sin. And the people, because they were 
hungry, spoke wickedly to Moses and Aaron. They said that 
while they were in Egypt, they had plenty of bread and flesh to 
eat. They wished that God had made them die there, for Moses 
ahd Aaron had brought them out in the wilderness on purpose 
to kill them with hunger. And the Lord told Moses he had 
heard their complainings, and that in the evening they should 
have flesh to eat, and in the morning as much bread as they 
wanted. Then they would know that it was the Lord who 
took care of them. 

And the Lord did as he promised; for in the evening, about 

the time the sun was go¬ 
ing down, great numbers 
of quails came flying up 
to the camp so that the 
people could catch them. 
And in the morning, after 
the dew was dried, there 
was left, spread all over 
the ground, a small, white, 
round thing which looked 
like the frost. When the 
children of Israel saw it, 
they did not know what it was. But Moses said to them, This 
is the food which the Lord has given you to eat. And the 
Lord commanded the people to go out and gather it, each man 
as much as he and his family would need for one day. But the 
Lord said they must not gather any to keep till the next day, 
for by that time there would be more on the ground for them; 
and the Lord wanted them to trust him, each day, for their daily 
bread. Yet some of them disobeyed the Lord and kept part of 






THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


115 


what they gathered till the next morning, and by that time it 
was spoiled and had worms in it. 

After that the people went out every day and gathered the 



GATHERING THE MANNA. 


food which the Lord sent for them. AVhen they had gathered 
enough, and the sun had grown hot, all that was left on the 
ground melted away. But on the day before the Sabbath, the 
men gathered twice as much as they did on other days, and 


















116 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



what they saved of this was not spoiled by the next morning. 
For the Lord sent none on the Sabbath, because he did not want 
the people to go out and gather it, or to do any work on that 
day. Therefore he sent them enough for two days, on the day 
before the Sabbath. Yet some of them went out to gather it 
on the Sabbath, but found none. And the Lord was displeased 


MOSES BRINGS WATER FROM THE ROCK. 

because they went; so, after that, they did not go out, but rested 
on the Sabbath day 

The people called this new food Manna: it was small, and 
round, and white, like the seed called coriander seed, and tasted 
like cakes made with honey. And Moses told Aaron to take a 
pot, and put into it as much as one man would eat in a day. 
And that pot of Manna, the Lord said, must always be kept, so 













THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


117 


that the Israelites who should live long afterward, might see 
what kind of food the Lord had given the children of Israel, 
when he led them through the wilderness to the land of Canaan. 
And the people ate manna until they came into that land. 

And they journeyed and came to a place called Kephidim, 
but found no water there* Then they found fault with Moses 
and said to him, Give us water that we may drink. Moses asked 
why they found fault with him. They answered, that he had 
brought them out of Egypt to kill them, and their little children, 
and their cattle, with thirst. Then Moses cried to the Lord and 
said, What shall I do to these people ? for they are almost ready 
to stone me. 

Now by this time they had come near to the mountain called 
Horeb, where Moses saw the fire burning in the bush, and where 
the Lord told him he should bring the people. And when he 
asked what he should do, because they were almost ready to 
stone him, the Lord commanded him to take his rod in his hand 
and go on before the people, until he came to a rock that was 
in Horeb, and the Lord said that Moses should strike the rock 
with his rod and then water would come out of it. And Moses 
obeyed the Lord. He took the rod in his hand and struck the 
rock, and water flowed out of it, and the children of Israel 
drank of the water. 

And a people, called the Amalekites, came and fought against 
them. Now there was among the children of Israel a brave man 
named Joshua, and Moses said to him, Choose men and go out, 
fight with the Amalekites; to-morrow I will stand on the top 
of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. And Joshua did 
as Moses told him. He chose men and went out and fought 
with the Amalekites, and Moses went up on the top of the hill, 
and Aaron, and a man named Hur, went with him. Then Moses 
held up his rod, and as long as he held it up, the children of 
Israel overcame the Amalekites, but whenever he let it down 
the Amalekites overcame them. And Moses’ hands were tired 
with holding up the rod so long, therefore Aaron and Hur took 
a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it. Then they 
held up his hands, one on the one side, and the other on the 



118 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 

other side, till the going down of the sun, and God gave the 
children of Israel the victory. But God was displeased with 
the Amalekites for making war against them, and he said that 
the time should come when that people would all be destroyed, 
and no one would remember them. 

In the third month after the children of Israel went out of 


l^&ypMhey came near the mountain called Sinai, and encamped 
before it. And Moses went up on the mountain and the Lord 
spoke to him there. He told him to say to the people, that they 
had seen how he punished the Egyptians for their sakes, and 
afterward brought them out of that land. And now, the Lord 
said, if they would obey his commandments, he would love 
them more than any other people. 

And the Lord said he would come down in a thick cloud and 
speak with Moses on mount Sinai, so that the people should 
hear him ; and he commanded Moses to tell them to wash their 
clothes and make themselves clean, and to be very careful not to 















THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


119 


sin, but to be ready for the third day, when the Lord was com¬ 
ing down before them all on mount Sinai. On that day, God 
said, none of them might go up on the mountain, for whoever 
should go there would surely be put to death. But when they 
should hear the great sound of a trumpet far up on the moun¬ 
tain, they should come and stand at the foot of the mountain. 

After the Lord had spoken these things, Moses went down and 
told the people, and they washed their clothes, and were careful 
not to sin. And on the third day, in the morning, there w r ere 
thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud, on mount Sinai. 
And the trumpet, which, no doubt, an angel blew, sounded very 
loud, so that all the people trembled when they heard it. Then 
Moses led them out of the camp, and they came and stood near 
the foot of the mount. And all the mountain smoked, because 
the Lord came down in fire upon it, and the smoke went up 
like the smoke from a furnace, and the mountain shook greatly. 
And when the trumpet sounded long, and grew louder and 
louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him, and called him to 
the top of the mount. 

And God spoke, on mount Sinai, the words of the Ten Com¬ 
mandments. 

I. 

THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. 

This means that we must love God more than anything else; 
for if we love anything more than Him, then that is our idol 
that we set up in His place, to serve instead of Him. 

II. 

THOU SHALT NOT MAKE ANY GRA VEN IMAGE\ NOR BOW DOWN TO IT,\ 
NOR WORSHIP IT. 

There are a great many people in the world who believe that 
an image of gold, or silver, or wood, or stone, can help to save 
them. But in this commandment God forbids every man to 
make such an image, or to bow down to it and worship it; for 
God is the only one who can save men, and they are to worship 
Him alone. 


120 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


III. 

THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN. 

This means that whenever we speak God’s name, we must do 
it reverently, remembering how great and holy a name it is. For 
if we speak it carelessly, or thoughtlessly, we offend Him. 

IV. 

REMEMBER THE SABBATH DA Y, TO KEEP IT HOLY. 

We keep the Sabbath holy, when we do not take that day for 
work, or for pleasure; but spend the time in worshipping God, 
in reading His word, in thinking and talking about His kind¬ 
ness to us, and in doing good to others. 

V. 

HONOR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER. 

Next to obeying God, we should obey our parents; not putting 
off what they tell us to do, nor even waiting to be told, if we 
know their wishes already. But doing, out of love to them, such 
things as they approve; for this is God’s commandment. 

VI. 

THOU SHALT NOT KILL. 

We break this commandment not only when we kill a person, 
but when we feel as if we would be glad for him to die; because 
then we have the wish for his death in our hearts, and God looks 
at our hearts. 

VII. 

THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTER Y. 

When a man leaves his wife to live with another woman in¬ 
stead of her; and when a woman leaves her husband to live with 
another man instead of him, they commit adultery. God forbids 
us to commit this sin. He commands us, also, to be pure in all 
our thoughts, words, and actions. 

VIII. 

THOU SHALT NOT STEAL. 

We must not take anything for our own that belongs to an¬ 
other. If we have ever done so, whether by mistake or on pur- 


THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


121 


pose, God commands us to give back, or to pay for, the thine we 
have taken. 

IX. 

THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR. 

This means that we must never say anything about another 
person which is not true. And when we are saying what is true, 
we must be very careful how we say it, lest we leave out a little, 
or add a little, and so make it different from the real truth. 

X. 

THOU SHALT NOT COVET ANYTHING THAT IS THY NEIGHBOR'S. 

To covet a thing is to wish that it was ours. We must not 
covet what belongs to another. God gives us all just what we 
ought to have, and he knows best whose everything should be. 

And all the people heard the thunderings, and the souud of 
the trumpet, and they saw the lightnings, and the mountain 
smoking. They heard God’s voice also, and were afraid. Then 
they said to Moses, Speak thou with us and we will hear; but 
let not God speak with us, lest we die. But Moses told them 
that God had not come to cause them to die, but to make them 
fear to sin against him. And the people stood a good way off 
from the mountain, but Moses went up on the mountain near to 
the dark cloud where God was. 

There God talked "with him, and gave him many more laws 
for the children of Israel to obey. Afterward Moses came 
down from the mount, and wrote those laws in a book, and read 
them out to the people. When the people heard them, they 
promised to obey all the words that the Lord had spoken. 

CHAPTERS XXIV.-XXXI. 

B. C. 1491. 

GOD CALLS MOSES UP ON MOUNT SINAI AGAIN, AND PROMISES TO GIVE 
HIM TWO TABLES OF STONE WITH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WRIT¬ 
TEN ON THEM. HE COMMANDS THAT THE TABERNACLE SHALL BE 
BUILT, AND SAYS THAT AARON AND HIS SONS SHALL BE PRIESTS. 

A ND the Lord told Moses to come up on mount Sinai again. 

He said that he would give him tables of stone with the 
Ten Commandments written upon them. And Moses w T ent up 



122 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


on the mount, and Joshua went with him; Joshua was his ser¬ 
vant, or minister. And there came a cloud and covered the 
mountain for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to 
Moses out of the cloud, and Moses went up into the cloud and 
stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. And the 
children of Israel saw the glory of the Lord on the top of the 
mount, like a bright burning fire there. 

And the Lord spoke to Moses and told him that the children 
of Israel should build a tabernacle, or church, where they should 
worship him; and he showed Moses a pattern of this tabernacle 
like which they were to build it. It was to be very beautiful, 
and to have many beautiful things in it and around it, some 
made of gold, some of silver, and some of brass. There were to 
be curtains of fine linen also, with rich work embroidered upon 
them. It would take a great deal of gold and silver, of brass, 
and of linen, to make all these things; but God told Moses to 
ask the people for them, and whoever wanted to bring an offer¬ 
ing to the Lord, might bring whatever he chose. 

God commanded Moses to have an ark made, which was to 
be placed inside of the tabernacle. This ark was a chest, or 
box, made first of wood and then covered over with gold; 
both the inside and outside were covered with gold, so that 
the wood could hot be seen. After it should be finished, 
Moses was to put into it the two tables of stone which God 
w r ould give him. 

A cover, also, was to be made for the ark, of pure gold, with 
two golden cherubim, or angels, upon it; one at one end, and 
the other at the other end. These cherubim were to have their 
faces turned toward each other and their wings spread out. 
The cover with the cherubim upon it, was to be called the 
Mercy-seat. 

And a table was to be made of wood, covered over with gold, 
to stand in the tabernacle; a golden candlestick, also, which 
should burn and give light there. 

And God told Moses how the tabernacle itself should be made. 
As the people were to carry it with them on their journey to the 
land of Canaan, it would have to be made in such a way that 


THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


123 


they could take it down and put it up again, something like a 
tent. The sides of it were to be of boards covered with gold; 
these boards were to stand on end and be fastened together. 
Over their tops curtains were to be spread, from one side to the 
other, for the roof. The door was to be a curtain hanging down 
in front; and there was to be another beautiful curtain, called 
the veil, hanging across the inside of the tabernacle, so as to 
make two rooms there. Moses was to bring the ark, with the 
mercy-seat upon it, into one of those rooms; in the other he 
was to set the golden table and the golden candlestick. 

And he was commanded to make a wall, or fence, around the 
tabernacle, a little way off from it, that there might be a yard 
around it. This yard was called the court. And an altar was 
to be made, which should stand in the court, before the door of 
the tabernacle. It was to be made of wood first, and then cov¬ 
ered over with brass, and was to be very large; because oxen 
and sheep and goats, were to be offered upon it. For until the 
Saviour should come into the world, and be offered up on the 
cross, the children of Israel were to offer up these animals on 
the altar, to show that he was coming. 

And the Lord told Moses that Aaron and his sons should be 
ministers, or priests, at the tabernacle. Aaron was to be called 
the high priest, for he would be the chief one; his four sons were 
to be called priests. 

Beautiful garments were to be made for Aaron ; a linen cap, 
or turban, called a mitre, for his head, with a plate of gold 
fastened to its front, having these words written on it, HOLI¬ 
NESS TO THE LORD. This would remind Aaron that God 
commanded him to be holy. It would remind the people, also, 
whenever they saw it, to honor him as God’s high priest. 

Next his flesh Aaron was to wear a coat made of embroidered 
linen, with sleeves to it; this coat was to reach to his feet. 

Over the linen coat he was to wear a coat, or robe, of blue, 
that had no sleeves. Around the lower edge of this robe were 
to be hung pomegranates made of blue, and purple, and scarlet. 
Pomegranates are a fruit something like an orange. Those on 
the robe were not real pomegranates, but ornaments made to 


124 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


look like them. Between the pomegranates were to be hung 
golden bells. 

And over the robe of blue Aaron was to wear a third coat. 
It was to be shorter than the robe of blue, and, like it, was to 
have no sleeves, but was to be of dif¬ 
ferent colors; it was called the ephod. 

On his breast Aaron was to wear 
the breast-plate. This was a square 
piece of richly embroidered cloth, 
with twelve precious stones set upon 
it. These stones were of the most 
beautiful kinds, such as the ruby, the 
sapphire, and the diamond. Aaron’s 
dress was to be very splendid; and his 
four sons were to have dresses made 
for them also, but their dresses were 
not so beautiful as Aaron’s, because 
he was to be the high priest. 

And the Lord told Moses that, after the tabernacle should be 
finished, he should bring Aaron and his sons to the door of it. 
There he was to wash them with water. And he was to put on 
them the garments which had been made for them, and to pour 
oil on Aaron’s head and anoint him. Afterward he was to offer 
up sacrifices for them. These things Moses was to do, so that 
Aaron and his sons might be consecrated, or made priests, for 
the children of Israel. And after they had been made priests, 
they were to offer up two lambs every day on the great brass 
altar, one in the morning and the other in the evening, for the 
sins of the people. 

And God commanded Moses to make another altar, not of 
brass like that for the burnt offerings, but of wood covered over 
with gold. It was to be smaller than the brass altar, and was 
to stand inside of the tabernacle, in the room with the golden 
table and the golden candlestick. This altar was not to have an¬ 
imals burned upon it, but incense. Incense was made of the gum 
from a tree, mixed with some spices which the Lord told Moses 
of. When burned, it sent up a smoke that was sweet to smelL 



THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


125 


We have read that the animals which were burned on the 
brass altar, meant, or represented, the Saviour. Now the incense, 
sending up its sweet smoke from the golden altar, is supposed to 
have meant the prayers of God’s people, going up to heaven. 
Aaron was commanded to burn incense on the golden altar every 
morning and evening, at the time he should come into the taber¬ 
nacle to trim and light the lamps on the golden candlestick. 

And God commanded Moses to make a laver, or great basin, 
out of brass, to hold water. It was to stand in the court, out¬ 
side of the tabernacle, and near the great brass altar. 

After the Lord had given Moses all these commandments 
about the tabernacle, and the things that should go into it, he 
told him who should attend to making them. This was a man 
named Bezaleel, one of the children of Israel, whom the Lord 
said he had taught to work in silver and gold, in brass and 
precious stones, and to make all kinds of beautiful work. An¬ 
other man named Aholiab was to help him. Beside these there 
were others whom God taught, as many as were needed to make 
all the things which God had commanded should be made. 

And when the Lord was done talking with Moses, he gave 
him the two tables of stone with the ten commandments written 
upon them, which God had written there with his own hand. 


CHAPTERS XXXII.-XL. 


B. C. 1491-1490. 

THE PEOPLE WORSHIP THE GOLDEN CALF. MOSES BREAKS THE TWO 
TABLES OF STONE. THE LEVITES SLAY THREE THOUSAND MEN. GOD 
WRITES THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ON TWO NEW TABLES. THE TABER¬ 
NACLE IS MADE AND SET UP. THE CLOUD RESTS UPON IT. 


N OW all the time that God had been talking to Moses, and 
telling him of the things that were to be made, Moses was 
on mount Sinai; he stayed there, as we have read, forty days 
and forty nights. But the children of Israel were in their 
camp at the foot of the mount. And when they saw that 
Moses stayed so long they grew impatient, and came to Aaron, 
and said, As for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of 
Egypt, we know not what has become of him. And they asked 
Aaron to make idols for them, such as the heathen nations 




126 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 

worshipped. Aaron said, Break off the golden earrings which 
are in the ears of your wives, and of your sons, and of your 
daughters, and bring them to me. So the people brought them, 
and Aaron took them and put them into the fire, and melted 
them, and made an idol in the shape of a calf. 

Then the people said that the calf was their god that had 
brought them up out of Egypt. And Aaron built an altar be- 


MOSES BREAKING THE TWO TABLES OF STONE. 

fore it, and told them that the next day they should hold a 
feast. And early in the morning they rose up and offered 
burnt offerings to the calf, instead of to the Lord, and they 
had a feast and ate and drank before the idol. While they 
were doing these things Moses was still on the mount. He 
could not see them, but the Lord saw them, and told him to 
go down, because his people had done wickedly. They have 
made a calf, the Lord said, and worshipped it and sacrificed 
to it, and called it their god. 











THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


127 


And Moses turned and went down mount Sinai, with the two 
tables of stone in his hand. Joshua, his servant, was with him, 
and as they came near the camp he heard the noise of the 
people shouting, and Joshua said to Moses, There is a noise of 
war in the camp. Moses answered that it was not the noise of 
war, but the noise of singing, he heard. When they came 
nearer Moses saw the golden calf and the people dancing before 
it. Then he was in great anger, and threw the two tables of 
stone out of his hands, and they v T ere broken in pieces as they 
fell down below the mount. 

And Moses took the calf and burned it in the fire, and ground 
it up into very small pieces, like powder, or dust. Then he 
strewed the dust on the water that they drank, and made the 
children of Israel drink of the water. And he asked Aaron 
why he had helped them to do this great sin. Then Aaron 
tried to excuse himself, saying, that the people were determined 
to do wickedly, and they asked him to make an idol for them, 
and brought him their gold, and when he put it into the fire, it 
came out in the shape of a calf. But it would not have come 
out so, unless Aaron had given it that shape, And when the 
people asked him to make them an idol, he who was to be their 
high priest, should have told them how wicked it would be, 
instead of helping them to do it. 

And Moses stood at the gate of the camp, and said that all 
the men who were on the Lord’s side should come to him. Then 
all the men who were the descendants of Levi, one of Joseph’s 
brethren, came to him. And he told them that God commanded 
each one of them, to take his sword and go through the camp 
from one end of it to the other, and to slay every man he should 
meet. In this way God would punish the people for their 
wickedness. And the Levites did as Moses told them, and they 
slew that day about three thousand men of the children of Israel. 

The next day Moses spoke to the people, and said, that al¬ 
though they had done a great sin, he would go and pray to the 
Lord for them, perhaps their sin might be forgiven. And he 
went and prayed to the Lord, saying, O, this people have sinned 
a great sin, and made an idol of gold. And he begged that God 


128 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


would forgive them. But God said he would punish those who 
had sinned against him, and that he would not go with them in 
the cloud, as he had gone before, to show them the way to Ca¬ 
naan. Then Moses prayed very earnestly that he would go, and 
the Lord heard his prayer, and promised that he would still go 
with the children of Israel. 

And God told Moses to make two tables of stone like those 
he had broken. God said he would write on these new tables 
the same words that were written on the first tables. And he 
commanded Moses to be ready in the morning, and come up to 
the top of the mount. But no man was to come with him, or to 
be anywhere on the mount, and no flocks or herds were to feed 
there. So Moses cut out of the rock two tables, like those he 
had broken, and he rose early in the morning and went up on 
mount Sinai, with the tables in his hand. And the Lord came 
down in the cloud and passed by before him, so that Moses could 
hear his voice. Then Moses made haste, and bowed down to the 
earth and worshipped. And he prayed that the Lord would 
forgive the children of Israel, and take them to be his people 
again. And the Lord heard his prayer, and took them to be 
his people again, and promised that he would do wonderful 
things for them, and would drive out the wicked nations of Ca¬ 
naan, to make room in that land for the children of Israel. 

And the Lord told Moses that he must be careful, when he 
should come into Canaan, not to make friends of those wicked 
nations. He must throw down the altars which they had built 
to their idols, and break those idols in pieces, because the chil¬ 
dren of Israel were not to worship idols, but the Lord. And 
Moses stayed on mount Sinai forty days and forty nights. In 
all that time, and in the forty days and forty nights that he 
spent there before, he did neither eat bread nor drink water. 
And the Lord wrote on the two tables of stone which Moses 
brought, the words of the Ten Commandments. 

After the forty days and forty nights were ended, Moses came 
down with the tables in his hand. And the skin of his face was 
bright and shining, because he had been so near to the Lord, 
though Moses did not know that his face shone. When Aaron 


THE BOOK OF EXOBUS. 


129 


and all the children of Israel saw his face shine, they were afraid 
to come near him, but he called them to him. Then they came, 
and he told them the words that the Lord had spoken. But 
while he was speaking with them, he put a veil on his face that 
it might not dazzle them. 

And Moses called all the children of Israel together, and said, 
that the Lord had commanded them to keep the Sabbath day 
holy; and now, he also commanded them, to bring gold and silver, 
and brass and wood, and whatever else was needed to build the 
tabernacle. Then the people brought whatever they chose to 
give—bracelets, and earrings, ornaments of gold and silver, brass, 



MOSES SPEAKS TO ALL THE PEOPLE. 

and fine linen and wood. Some brought precious stones also, for 
the breastplate, and oil for the lamp. Both men and women 
brought offerings, for all the different kinds of work which the 
Lord had commanded Moses to have made. They did this 
willingly; and even after enough had been brought, they still 
9 








130 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


kept on bringing more every morning, until Moses sent word 
through the camp that they should stop bringing. And he gave 
their offerings to Bezaleel and Aholiab, and the other men whom 
the Lord had taught to do the work. 

Then these men made curtains of fine linen, of blue and pur¬ 
ple and scarlet, for the tabernacle; and curtains of goats’ hair, 
and of goats’ skins dyed red, to be spread over the tabernacle for 
its roof. Also that beautiful curtain of blue and purple and 
scarlet, called the veil, that was to be hung inside of the taber¬ 
nacle to make two rooms there; and the curtain that was to 
hang down in front, for the door. They made the boards also, 
covered with gold, which were to be set up and fastened together 
for the sides of the tabernacle. 

And Bezaleel made the ark which God had commanded 
should be made, first out of wood, afterward he covered it, both 



TABLE OF SHEW BREAD. ARK. GOLDEN CANDLESTICK. 

on the inside and the outside, with gold. And he made the 
cover of the ark, called the Mercy-seat. There was no wood in 
this—it was all of pure gold. And he made two cherubim, or 
angels, of gold, to be one on the one end of it, and the other on 
the other end. Their faces were turned toward each other and 
their wings were spread out. 

And he made the table for the inside of the tabernacle, of 
wood covered with gold. Around the edge of it was a golden 
border, like a little fence, or railing. He made dishes and bowls 
and spoons also, for the table, all of gold. And he made the 
golden candlestick with six branches out of its sides, three out 








THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 


131 


of one side, and three out of the other. On these branches were 
shapes of almonds and flowers, worked in the gold. There were 
seven lamps belonging to the candlestick, to hold oil and burn. 
And he made the altar of incense, out of wood first, and covered 
the wood over with gold. 

And he made the oil which was to be poured on Aaron’s head 
when he should be anointed as high priest, and the sweet incense 
that was to be burned on the golden altar. And Bezaleel made 
the altar of burnt offering, on which the children of Israel were 
to offer up sacrifices—oxen, lambs, and goats. First it was made 
of wood, and then covered over with brass. And he made the 
laver of brass, which was a great basin, or bowl, to hold water, 
for Aaron and his sons to w T ash their hands and their feet in ; be¬ 
cause God commanded them always to wash their hands and 



ALTAR OF INCENSE. ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING. LAVER. 

their feet before they went into the tabernacle, or came to the 
altar of burnt offering to offer up a sacrifice there. 

And Bezaleel made the posts, or pillars of brass, which were 
to stand around the tabernacle to make a court, or yard, around 
it; and he made the curtains that were to hang between those 
pillars, for a wall, or fence; also, the curtain that was to hang 
down in front of the court, for its gate. 

And Bezaleel and Aholiab made the clothes for Aaron; his 
















































132 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


lineii coat, and the coat called the ephod, of blue, and purple, 
and scarlet. They took gold and beat it very thin, and cut it 
into little strips, and worked these strips in among the purple, 
the blue, and the scarlet, to make this coat more beautiful. And 
with it they made a belt, or girdle, of the same stuff as the 
ephod itself. This was to be fastened around Aaron’s body over 
the ephod. And they made the breast-plate with twelve pre¬ 
cious stones upon it. Each stone was set in a piece of gold. 
Aaron was to wear this on his breast. It was to hang there 
by two chains of gold coming down from his shoulders. 

And he made the robe, or coat, which Aaron was to wear 
underneath the ephod. It was all of blue, and around its lower 
edge were hung pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet; 
and between them, the golden bells, which were to ring as Aaron 
went in and out of the tabernacle. And they made coats of fine 
linen for Aaron’s sons, and linen trowsers also; and the mitre 
for Aaron’s head, with the plate of gold having these words 
written on it, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 

So the different parts of the tabernacle were finished, and 
ready to be put together. And they brought them to Moses, 
and he looked at all the work, and saw it was done as God 
had commanded. 

And God spoke to him, and told him to set up the tabernacle. 
Then Moses set up the boards covered with gold, for its sides, 
and spread over them the curtains which had been made for its 
roof, and these curtains covered the tabernacle, and hung down 
on each side of it. And he put the two tables of stone with the 
ten commandments written on them, into the ark, and covered 
the ark with the mercy-seat. Then he brought the ark, with 
the mercy-seat upon it, into the tabernacle, and hung up the 
curtain called the veil, so that it made two rooms there, and 
he left the ark in the innermost room. 

And he stood the golden table, and the golden candlestick, 
and the golden altar, in the other room, and hung up the cur¬ 
tain which was made for a door, in front of the tabernacle. 
Outside of the door, but not far from it, he stood the altar of 
burnt offering, and he offered up a sacrifice upon it. He set 


THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 


133 


the laver near to the altar, and put water in it, and Moses and 
Aaron and his sons, washed their hands and their feet at the 
laver. And Moses set up the brass pillars around the taber¬ 
nacle, and hung up the curtains between them for a wall, and 
made the court around the tabernacle. And he hung up the 
curtain of blue and purple, and scarlet and fine linen, which 
had been made for the gate of the court. 

Bo the tabernacle was set up, and the court; and everything 
was put in its place inside of the court, and of the tabernacle. 
Then the pillar of cloud that went before the children of Israel 
to show them the way, came over the tabernacle, and covered 
it. And the glory of the Lord filled the inside of the taber¬ 
nacle, so that Moses could not go into it. 


THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 


CHAPTERS I.-XIX. 


B. C.1490. 


GOD SPEAKS TO MOSES OUT OF THE TABERNACLE. AARON AND HIS SONS 
ARE CONSECRATED. THE BURNT OFFERING AND THE PEACE OFFER¬ 
ING. NADAB AND ABIHU ARE SLAIN. ANIMALS CLEAN AND UN¬ 
CLEAN. LAWS FOR THE LEPROSY. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. 
OTHER LAWS ARE GIVEN. 

FTER the tabernacle was finished God did not call Moses 



-AL U p on mount Sinai again, to speak with him, but he called 
him into the tabernacle. For God came into the tabernacle in 
a cloud, over the mercy-seat, where the golden cherubim spread 
out their wings; and he spoke with Moses there, and gave him 
many new laws for the children of Israel. 

And God told Moses to bring Aaron and his sons to the door 
of the tabernacle, to consecrate them, or make them priests. 
Then Moses brought them, and he called all the people that they 
might come and see what the Lord had commanded him to do. 
And while they stood around the door of the tabernacle, he took 
Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water; and he put on 
Aaron the beautiful garments that had been made for him. Then 
he poured oil upon his head and anointed him. He took Aaron’s 




134 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


sons also, and put their garments on them, and afterward offered 
up sacrifices to God. So Aaron and his sons were made priests, 
to stay at the tabernacle, and burn incense and offer up sacrifices 
for the children of Israel. Before this time, other men might 
offer up their own sacrifices, as Abel, Noah, and Abraham had 
done. But now that God had chosen Aaron and his sons to be 
priests, no one else might offer up a sacrifice; every man must 
bring his offering to the tabernacle, and let the priests burn it 
for him on the altar that was there. 

After Aaron was made high priest, he took a lamb and killed 
it, and laid it on the altar as an offering for the sins of all the 
people, but he put no fire under it. Then the Lord sent fire 
that burned up the lamb. When the people saw the fire they 
shouted for joy, for now they knew that the Lord was pleased 
with their priest and with their offering. Afterward the priests 
always kept that fire burning on the altar, and would not let it 
go out, because the Lord had sent it there for them. 

The priests were commanded to offer up two lambs every day, 
one in the morning, and the other in the evening, for the sins of 
all the children of Israel. But God told Moses that if any man 
who was sorry for his sins, wanted to bring an offering for him¬ 
self, alone, he might bring an ox, or a sheep, or a goat, to the 
door of the tabernacle. There he was to lay his hand upon its 
head. This meant that the man put his sins away from himself 
on to the animal. Then he was to kill the animal; and Aaron’s 
sons, the priests, would burn it for him on the altar, and God 
would be pleased with it for an offering. God would be pleased 
with the man’s offering and forgive his sins, not because the 
innocent animal had died for him, but because the Saviour was 
coming to bear his sins and die for him, like the animal. The 
animal, (like Abel’s lamb and the passover lamb), was meant to 
represent the Saviour, and to show that he was coming. This was 
the only reason why God was pleased with animals for offerings. 

There were different kinds of offerings. When a man brought 
one because he repented of his sins, and wanted to be forgiven, 
the priests took it and burned the whole of it on the altar. 
Therefore it was called a burnt offering. But when he brought 


THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 


135 


one because he was thankful for some blessing which God had 
given him, or because he wanted some blessing which he was 
praying that God would send him, then the priests took the ani¬ 
mal and burned only a part of it on the altar, not all; some of 
it the priests kept for themselves to eat, and some of it they gave 
back to the man for him to eat. This offering, that was part 
burned an.d part eaten, was called a peace offering. 

And the man who brought the peace offering, after the priest 
had given him back his part, invited his family and his friends, 
and perhaps his poor neighbors, and they feasted on it. For 
the man was not allowed to put his part by, and keep it to eat 



high priest burning incense. 


at some future time; it must be eaten that same day or the next 
day. We often read in the Bible of the feasts which the people 
made with their peace offerings. 

Aaron had four sons who were all made priests when he was 
made high priest. It was their duty to attend to the worship 






















136 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


of God at the tabernacle, in the way that God commanded. We 
have read that God commanded incense to be burned on the 
golden altar. This incense was placed in a censer, which was 
something like a cup, made, we suppose, of brass. The priest 
first put coals of fire in the censer; afterward he carried it into 
the tabernacle and set it on the golden altar, and he sprinkled 
the incense on the coals, that it might burn and send up its sweet 
smoke there. The fire which he put in the censer was taken 
from off the altar of burnt offering, where God had sent it, and 
where, as we have read, it was never allowed to go out; for it 
was sacred fire. 

But the Bible tells us that two of Aaron’s sons, named Nadab 
and Abihu, put strange fire in their censers to burn incense. 
And God was angry at their sin, and sent fire that burned them 
to death. And Moses called men to carry their dead bodies 
away from the tabernacle, and out of the camp. And God com¬ 
manded Aaron, and his two sons who were still living, not to 
rend their clothes, nor show any grief for Nadab and Abihu, 
because they had been put to death for sinning against God. 

And the Lord told Moses what animals, and birds, and fishes, 
the children of Israel might eat, after they should come into the 
land of Canaan, for they were not to eat of every kind. They 
might eat of the ox, the deer, the sheep, and the goat; but not of 
the camel, the rabbit, or the pig. Of fishes they might eat all 
that had fins and scales on them, but those whose skins were 
smooth and without scales, they might not eat. And they might 
eat of some kinds of birds, such as the dove, the pigeon, and the 
quail. But there were many others which were forbidden them, 
such as the eagle, the raven, the owl, and the swan. Those that 
they might eat were called clean animals, and those they might 
not eat were called unclean. 

We have read of the leprosy which came suddenly upon Moses’ 
hand, making it white as snow, and then was taken away again 
leaving it well as it was before. God sent it upon Moses, so that 
he might show that miracle to the children of Israel in Egypt. 
But the leprosy was a very dreadful disease that was sometimes 
sent upon persons for their sins. It was not taken away quickly 


THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 


137 


then, but it stayed and often spread over their whole bodies, for 
no one could cure it but God. 

And God told Moses and Aaron that when a man should have 
a spot, or sore in his skin, that seemed like the beginning of lep¬ 
rosy, he must be brought to the priest, that the priest might look 
at it and say whether it were the leprosy or not. If it were, the 
man must go away from the camp, from his family, and from all 
the rest of the people, and live in some place alone until he should 
be made well. When God should make him well, he must be 
brought to the priest again. Then the priest would look at him 
and say that he was well. After that, he might come back and 
live in the camp. But he must bring three lambs, or, if he were 
poor, and could not bring so many, he might bring one lamb, and 
two doves or young pigeons, to the tabernacle, as offerings to the 
Lord who had healed him. 

Now that room in the tabernacle where Moses had left the 
ark, and where God came and dwelt, in a cloud, over the mercy- 
seat, was the most holy part of the tabernacle; it was called the 
most holy place. And the Lord told Moses that no one but 
Aaron, the high priest, might ever go there. And Aaron him¬ 
self must not go often, lest he might die. He might go but once 
every year, and then he must go very carefully. Before going 
he was to wash his flesh in water, that he might be clean, and he 
was to take off his splendid high priest’s dress, and put on a 
plainer dress of pure white linen; for he must go in humbly 
dressed before the Lord. He was to offer up sacrifices before 
going, for his own sins and the sins of all the people, and he was 
to take the blood of those sacrifices into the most holy place, and 
sprinkle it, with his finger, before the mercy-seat; and there 
Aaron was to pray that the Lord would forgive him, and all 
the people, their sins. 

And what was meant by the high priest doing these things ? 
It was meant to show what the Saviour would do for us who 
trust in him. The high priest went to pray for the people, into 
the most holy place on earth. The Saviour, after he was cruci¬ 
fied, went to pray for us up in heaven. The high priest asked 
God to forgive the people, for whom the sacrifices had died. The 


138 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Saviour asked God to forgive us, for whom he himself had died. 
Now the high priest has long since been dead, and can no more 
ask God to forgive us; but the Saviour still lives in heaven, and 
there he is asking God to forgive us every day. 

On that day when Aaron went into the most holy place, the 
children of Israel were commanded to do no work, but to remem¬ 
ber the sins they had committed. God said they should afflict 
their souls for their sins, which means, they should think of them 
and repent of them, with great sorrow. Whoever v r ould not 
do this, God said, should be punished; for that day was to be 
the most solemn day of all the year to the children of Israel. 
It was called the day of atonement. 

God said that when the children of Israel should come into 
Canaan, and go into their fields, to cut down their grain and 
bring it into their barns, they must not bring it quite all in, 
they must leave a little. And w hen the grapes should be ripe 
on their vines, and they should go out to gather them, they must 
not take every grape, they must leave a few. They must do this 
so that poor persons and strangers, who had no fields or vine¬ 
yards of their own, might come and take what was left. 

The Lord said that the children of Israel must not steal, nor 
deceive, nor lie to one another. When a man had been work¬ 
ing for them, they should not tell him to wait until the next day 
to be paid for what he had done; they should pay him that 
same day for his work. 

If a person were deaf, they must not speak against him be¬ 
cause he could not hear; or if he were blind, they must not put 
things in his way to make him stumble and fall. If any one 
knew some evil of another, he must not go about telling it, he 
must not be a tale-bearer. 

And the children of Israel were not to hate one another, but 
they were to love each other as they loved themselves. When 
one of them should see another do wrong, he must reprove him 
kindly for what he had done; perhaps, then, he would repent 
of his sin and do so no more. 

If a stranger from another country should come to live among 
them, they must not treat him unjustly, nor take away what 


THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 


139 


belonged to him. They must be as kind to him, and love him 
as much, as though he had always lived with them and was one 
of their own people. 


CHAPTERS XX.-XXIII.-XXVI. 

B. C. 1490. 


THE ISRAELITES MUST NOT GIVE THEIR CHILDREN TO M0LECH. THEY 
ARE COMMANDED TO KEEP THREE FEASTS TO THE LORD EVERY YEAR. 
THE BLASPHEMER IS STONED. THE SABBATH YEAR AND THE YEAR 
OF JUBILEE. BLESSINGS PROMISED AND CURSES THREATENED. 


T HE heathen nations among whom the children of Israel were 
going, worshipped an idol named Molech. We are told that 
this idol was made of brass, and had the face of a calf; and was 
very large and hollow, so that a fire could be lighted inside 



MOLECH. 


of it. After it was heated very hot those wicked people used to 
put their little children into its arms, where they were burned to 
death ; while they were being burned, the people beat drums so 
that their cries could not be heard. They burned their chil¬ 
dren in this way to please the idol, and they called it giving 













140 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


their children to Molech. And God told Moses that if any 
man among the Israelites should give his children to Molech, he 
should be put to death; all the people should stone him with 
stones till he was dead. And if they should let him go without 
punishment, pretending not to know what he had done, God said 
that he himself would punish that man. 

The Lord commanded the children of Israel to keep three 
feasts to him every year. The first was called the feast of the 
passover. We were told about this feast when they kept it for 
the first time, on the night that they came out of Egypt. And 
now, the Lord said, they should keep it once every year, eating 
of the lamb in the night, as they did then, and for seven days 
afterward eating of unleavened bread. Through all those seven 
days it was called the feast of the passover. While the people 
were keeping this feast, it would make them remember how God 
had punished Pharaoh for their sakes, and had set them free 
when Pharaoh was determined not to let them go. 

Seven weeks after the passover, they were to keep the feast 
of harvest. It was to last but one day, and was to come after 
the grain had been gathered into the barns. Then the people 
would thank God for sending the rain and the sunshine, which 
had made their seed grow out in the field, and bear food enough 
for another year. At this feast the Lord said they should be 
glad and rejoice; they, and their sons and their daughters, 
their men-servants and their maid-servants, and all the peo¬ 
ple who lived in the land. 

At the end of the year, w r hen all the grain had been gathered 
in from the fields, all the fruits taken off from the trees, and all 
the grapes picked from the vines, they were to keep the feast of 
tabernacles. It was to last seven days. Then, the Lord said, 
they should cut off branches from the trees, and make booths, or 
tents, of them; and they should come out of their houses, and 
live in those booths for the seven days of the feast, because the 
children of Israel had lived in tents, or booths, while they were 
journeying through the wilderness. And the Lord wanted them 
to remember that time, after they should come into Canaan and 
have houses there to live in. At each of these three feasts, every 


THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 


141 


man among the children of Israel was to come to the tabernacle, 
and bring an offering to the Lord. 

And God told Moses to command the people, that they should 



FEAST OF TABERNACLES. 


bring olive-oil for the lamps in the tabernacle. Olives are a 
fruit that grows in Canaan. When they are bruised, or pressed, 
a very pure oil runs out of them. It was this oil the people were 
to bring, for the seven lamps that belonged to the golden candle- 











142 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


stick. The Lord said that every day Aaron and his sons should 
trim the lamps, which were to burn all night in the tabernacle. 
None but the priests might trim them. 

And God commanded Moses to take fine flour, and bake 
twelve cakes, or loaves of bread. These were to be placed on 
the golden table, which stood in the tabernacle near to the golden 
candlestick. He was to put them there on the sabbath day, and 
leave them a whole week, until the next sabbath. Then the 
priest was to take them away and put fresh loaves in their place. 
The priests were to do this every week. Aaron and his sons 
might eat of the old bread after it was taken away, but they 
might not carry it to their homes to eat it. They must eat it 
at the tabernacle, because it was holy bread; it had been set 
on the golden table before the Lord. These twelve loaves were 
called shew-bread. 

Now there was, at this time, a man in the camp whose father 
was an Egyptian, but his mother was one of the children of 
Israel. He quarrelled with an Israelite, and being angry, he 
blasphemed God’s name; that is, he spoke wickedly of God. 
And they brought him to Moses; then they put him in some 
place to keep him safe, until the Lord should tell Moses what 
his punishment must be. And the Lord spoke to Moses, and 
commanded him to take the man out of the camp, and let all 
the people stone him. The Lord said that whoever blasphemed 
his name, whether it were one of the children of Israel, or a 
stranger who had come to live among them, should surely be 
put to death ; all the people should stone him till he was dead. 
And Moses told the people, and they took the man out of the 
camp, and stoned him as the Lord commanded. 

God said, that after the children of Israel should come into 
the land of Canaan, they should plant seed out in the field, and 
when it had gyown, should cut it down and take it into the barn. 
They should do this for six years, but when the seventh year 
came, they must not plant any seed at all, but must let the 
land alone. If any grain should grow by itself, without being 
planted, they must not cut it; or if any grapes should grow 
on the vines, they must not pick them, for this year, God said, 


THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 


143 


should be a sabbath year, or year of rest, for the land. Every 
seventh year, he said, should be so. They were never to plant 
the seed, nor take the grain into the barns, nor gather the grapes 



STONING THE BLASPHEMER. 


from the vines, in the seventh year. If any of the people were 
afraid they would not have food to eat, because they might 
not plant that year, the Lord told them that he would make 
enough grow the year before, to last until the sabbath year 














144 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


had past, and the time had come again for them to sow their 
seed and reap their grain. 

Once in fifty years was to come the year of jubilee. This 
was to be a glad and happy year; on the day that it began, 
trumpets were to be blown through all the land. The people 

were not to sow nor 
reap in this year; 
God promised that 
he would give them 
enough food the 
year before, to last 
through the year 
of jubilee. Then, 
if any man had 
been very poor, so 
that he was forced 
to sell the field 
which his father 
had left him, when 
the year of jubi¬ 
lee came, he was 
to have it back. 
The person who 
bought it must 
give it back to 
him, that it might be his own again ; for the Lord said it must 
be given back to him. Or if any poor man among the children 
of Israel had been sold to be a servant, or slave, when the year 
of jubilee came, he was to be a slave no longer; neither he nor 
his children, for the Lord said that then they should be free. 

And God told the people that if they would obey his com¬ 
mandments, he would send rain on their land. Their grain 
should grow well, their trees should bear fruit, they should have 
plenty of bread to eat and no man should hurt them. The Lord 
would destroy, or drive away from Canaan, the wild beasts that 
might do them harm ; he himself would take care of them, and 
make all their enemies afraid of them. 













THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 


145 


But if they would not obey his commandments, God said they 
should have sickness and trouble. They would sow their grain, 
but it would do them no good, for when it had grown up, their 
enemies would come and take it from them. Wild beasts would 
carry off their children and kill their cattle ; and in the streets 
and roads where there used to be a great many people, only a 
few would be left. The Lord would send famine upon them, so 
that they should have no food, and pestilence that they should 
die. Their enemies would make war on them also, and the chil¬ 
dren of Israel would bfe carried away from their own land to 
other lands, where the people would hate them. There many 
of them would perish. Yet if those who were left alive should 
confess that they had been wicked, and that it was God who 
had punished them, he would punish them no more, but would 
be kind to them, and bring them back to the land which he had 
promised Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, to give them. 


THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 

CHAPTERS I.-XII. 

B. C. 1490. 

THE PEOPLE ARE NUMBERED. THE LEVITES ARE CHOSEN TO DO THE 
WORK AT THE TABERNACLE. THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL LEAVE 
MOUNT SINAI. THEIR CAMP. THEY MURMUR FOR FLESH TO EAT. 
QUAILS ARE SENT, AND MANY OF THE PEOPLE DIE OF A PLAGUE. 
AARON AND MIRIAM SPEAK AGAINST MOSES. 

M ORE than a year had now passed since the children of 
Israel left Egypt, and they were still at mount Sinai, 
where their camp had been so long. For, first, they had waited 
there forty days and forty nights, while Moses was on the mount, 
when God gave him the two tables of stone with the Ten Com¬ 
mandments written upon them. But these were broken because 
the people worshipped the golden calf. Then they waited forty 
days and forty nights more, while Moses went up with the two 
new tables which the Lord commanded him to make. After¬ 
ward they waited still longer while the tabernacle was building, 
and while God spoke to Moses inside of the tabernacle, giving 
10 




146 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


him many new laws for the children of Israel to obey. But now 
the time was near when they should leave mount Sinai, and go 
on their journey toward the land of Canaan. 

The children of Israel were divided into great companies, 
called tribes. There were thirteen of these tribes. Each tribe 
was descended from one of the sons of Jacob, or of Joseph. 
These were their names: the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Ju¬ 
dah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Ephraim, 
Manasseh, and Benjamin. As they would have to fight against 
their enemies when they came into Canaan, the Lord commanded 
Moses and Aaron to number, or count, the men in the different 
tribes, who were able to be soldiers and go out to war. And 
Moses and Aaron did so, and found there were six hundred and 
three thousand, five hundred and fifty of them. 

But the men of the tribe of Levi were not numbered with the 
others, because the Lord did not want them to go out to war. 
He chose them to stay near the tabernacle, and take care of it. 
When the children of Israel should go on their journey, the men 
of this tribe were to take the tabernacle down and carry the dif¬ 
ferent parts of it, and when they should stop to rest and make a 
camp, these men were to set it up again. For the tabernacle and 
all the things in it were holy, and no one, except the priests and 
Levites, was allowed to come near them or touch them. If any 
other man did so, except when he came to offer up a sacrifice,, or 
to worship, the Lord said he must be put to death. 

After the other tribes had been numbered the Lord commanded 
Moses to bring the men of the tribe of Levi to Aaron. He said 
that they should help, and wait upon, Aaron and his sons. They 
should not only take down the tabernacle, and carry it and set 
it up again, on their journeys, but all the time that it stood 
in the camp, they must do the work there; for there was much 
work to be done. Beside the two lambs, which the priests were 
to offer up every day, the people would bring many other offer¬ 
ings. Wood must be cut to burn these with; water must be 
brought for the laver, where Aaron and his sons were to wash 
their feet and their hands, whenever they should go into the 
tabernacle, or offer up a sacrifice; the ashes must be taken away 



THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 147 

from the altar, and the court where the offerings would be killed 
must be kept clean from their blood. Aaron and his sons could 
not attend to all these things, and now God chose the Levites to 
do it. And he commanded Moses and Aaron to number them; 
and they did so, and found there were of them, eight thousand 
five hundred and eighty men. So, after they were numbered, the 
men of the tribe of Levi went to wait on the priests and do the 


LEVITK. HIGH PRIEST. PRIEST. 

work at the tabernacle. Now Aaron, himself, was of the tribe of 
Levi, but he and his family had been separated to be priests. 

And twelve princes came from the other twelve tribes, bring¬ 
ing presents to the tabernacle. They brought six covered wa¬ 
gons, and twelve oxen to draw them j also dishes, bowls, and 
spoons, made of silver and gold, to be used at the tabernacle. 
Then Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the 
Levites to carry different parts of the tabernacle in, when the 
children of Israel should go on their journey. Two wagons were 
to carry the heavy curtains; and the other four, the boards cov¬ 
ered with gold, that made the sides of the tabernacle, and the 









148 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


brass pillars that stood around the court. But he gave no wagons 
to carry the ark, the golden table, the golden candlestick, the 
golden altar, and the brass altar, for these were not to be carried 
in wagons, but on the Levites’ shoulders. 

Now the pillar of cloud was still over the tabernacle. In the 
day it was the color of a cloud, and in the night the color of fire. 
On the day that Moses set up the tabernacle it came there and 
stood over the most holy place. And after that it stayed there 
always, except when the Lord wanted the children of Israel to 
go on their journey. Then it was lifted up higher. As soon as 
it was lifted up the people knew they were to go, and as the 
cloud moved on, they followed after it. As long as it moved 
they followed, but whenever it stopped they stopped, and made 
their camp in that place. 

And when they had made their camp, they stayed there un¬ 
til the cloud rose up again from over the tabernacle. If it 
stayed only one day, they stayed one day. If it stayed two 
days, they stayed two days; or if it stayed a whole year, they 
stayed a year. But whenever the cloud was taken up, whether 
it were in the day or in the night, they went on their jour¬ 
ney. For it was the Lord who made it to stay or to go, 
and he was, in this way, guiding them through the wilder¬ 
ness. And the Lord commanded Moses to make two silver 
trumpets, for the priests to blow upon when Moses wanted to 
call all the people together; and also when they were about 
to start on their journey. 

While on their journey the children of Israel carried stand¬ 
ards, or banners, with them, and marched like an army. Each 
tribe kept in its own place, and each one had a captain over it. 
In the midst of the other tribes went the Levites, carrying the 
different parts of the tabernacle. As soon as the people stopped 
anywhere to make their camp, the Levites set up the tabernacle 
there. Next to it they set up their own tents, and the other 
tribes set up theirs farther off. This was the way the children 
of Israel always made their camp. The tabernacle was in the 
middle of it, the tents of the Levites were next, and the tents of 
the other tribes were farther off, but on every side of the taber- 


SUPPOSED FORM AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE TABERNACLE, CAMP, 


THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 


149 




















































































































150 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


nacle. And they kept their tents in the same place, until they 
took them down to go on their journey again. 

And now the time was come for them to leave mount Sinai. 
The Lord spoke to them, and said they had been long enough 
at that place, they should go on their journey toward Canaan. 
Then the cloud rose up from over the tabernacle, and moved 
on before them, and they followed it for three days, until they 
came into the wilderness of Paran. There it stopped, and they 
made their camp. 

We should suppose that when the people saw the cloud going 
before them they would have been thankful to God, and satisfied 
with whatever he chose to give them, until they reached that 
good land to which he was leading them. But it was not so. 
Because they had no meat to eat in the wilderness, they com¬ 
plained and said, Who shall give us meat to eat? We remem¬ 
ber the fish that we had in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, and 
the onions, but now we have nothing at all beside this manna. 
For they still went out every day and gathered the manna, and 
baked it and made cakes of it. Yet they complained and wept, 
because they had no meat, and Moses heard them weeping at the 
doors of their tents. 

And the Lord was very angry with them; and Moses was dis¬ 
couraged, because the people that he had the care of did so wick¬ 
edly. He asked the Lord why he gave him the care of them all. 
It was too much for him, he said, and if the Lord was going to 
send him such great trouble, he begged he might die, so that he 
would have it no more. But Moses sinned in speaking so; the 
Lord had always helped him when he was in trouble before, and 
was willing to help him now ; he should not have complained, 
but have trusted in him. 

And the Lord commanded Moses to tell the people that they 
should have meat given them, for he had heard them weeping 
and asking, Who will give us flesh to eat ? They should have 
it, he said, not only for one day, nor five days, nor twenty days, 
but for a whole month, until it should be loathsome to them, 
that is, until they could not bear to taste it or see it. God 
would make it loathsome to them, because they had been so 


THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 


151 


wicked as to complain of the manna, and to ask why they 
had been brought out of Egypt. 

But when the Lord told Moses that the people should have 
flesh for a whole month, Moses could hardly believe it; he 
said, Here are six hundred thousand men, and thou sayest, I 
will give them flesh that they may eat for a whole month. Must 
all the flocks and herds, that we brought with us out of Egypt, 
be now slain for them ? or shall all the fish of the sea be caught 
to give them enough ? The Lord answered, Has my hand grown 
weak that I cannot do it ? Wait and thou shalt see whether my 
words will come true or not. So Moses told the people what the 
Lord said. 

Then the Lord sent a wind that brought quails from the sea, 
and they fell all around the camp. There were so many that 
the ground was covered with them. And the people went out 
and gathered them all that day, and all that night, and all the 
next day. But when they began to eat them, as soon as they 
had put the flesh in their mouths, the Lord sent a great plague 
among the people, and many of them died for their sin and were 
buried there in the wilderness. 

And the cloud was lifted up again, and the people followed it 
until it stopped at a place called Hazeroth; there they stopped 
and made their camp. 

Now Moses was the chief one among the children of Israel, be¬ 
cause the Lord had chosen him to rule over them, and had talked 
with him, and given him the laws which they were to obey. 
Yet the Bible tells us he was more meek and humble than any 
other man who was then living on the earth. But Miriam his 
sister, and Aaron his brother, found fault with him because he 
had married a woman who was not one of the children of Israel. 
They said, too, that God had spoken to them, as w r ell as to him, 
as if they, also, ought to be rulers over the people. 

And the Lord heard what Aaron and Miriam said, and he 
commanded them to go with Moses, to the tabernacle. When 
they had gone there, the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud 
and stood by the door. And he called to Aaron and Miriam, 
and they came before him; and the Lord told them that Moses 


152 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


was his servant, who was obedient in doing his will, and he asked 
them why they were not afraid to speak against him. Then the 
pillar of cloud in which the Lord was, rose up from the taber¬ 
nacle ; after it was gone Aaron looked on Miriam, and she was 
covered with the leprosy, as white as snow. God had sent it 
upon her as a punishment for their wickedness. When Aaron 
saw it, he was greatly troubled and he spoke to Moses and said, 
We have sinned. And he begged that Miriam might be healed. 
And Moses prayed earnestly to the Lord for her, saying, Heal 
her now, O God, I beseech thee. And the Lord heard his 
prayer, and healed her of her leprosy. Then the people jour¬ 
neyed from Hazeroth to the wilderness of Paran. 


CHAPTERS XIII.-XXI. 

(Deut. i. 21, 22.) 

B. C. 1490-1452. 

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL REFUSE TO ENTER CANAAN. THEY ARE 
SENT BACK INTO THE WILDERNESS TO WANDER THERE FORTY YEARS. 
THE SABBATH-BREAKER STONED. THE REBELLION OF KORAH, DA- 
THAN, AND ABIRAM. AARON’S ROD BLOSSOMS. MOSES AND AARON 
SIN AT THE ROCK. AARON DIES AT MOUNT HOR. FIERY SERPENTS 
ARE SENT AMONG THE PEOPLE. 

A ND now the children of Israel had come near to Canaan, 
and Moses told them to go into that land, and take it for 
their own, as the Lord had said they should. But they asked 
him first to send men as spies, who should go and search the 
land, and bring them word of what they saw there. And Moses 
sent twelve men, one from each tribe, and told them to look at 
the land, and see whether it were a good or a bad land, and 
what sort of people lived there; whether they were few or 
many, weak or strong, and whether they lived in tents, or in 
cities with walls around them. Moses told them not to fear, 
but to go and bring back also some of the fruits of the land. 

Then the spies went into Canaan, and walked through it 
from one end to the other, for the Lord kept the people who 
lived there from doing them any harm. At a place called 
Eshcol, where grapes were growing, they cut off from the vine a 
branch with a single cluster upon it. This cluster was so large 



THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 


153 


that it took two men to carry it. They hung it upon a pole, or 
staff, and one man carried one end of the staff, and another the 
other end,- so that the cluster was carried between them. They 
brought with them also, some pomegranates and figs. 

They were forty days in going through the land, then they 
came back to Moses and Aaron, and to all the children of Israel, 
and showed them the fruits they had brought. They said that 
in the land where they had been, the grain and the vines grew 



RETURN OF THE SPIES. 

well, and there was plenty to eat and drink; but that the cities 
had walls around them, and w r ere very great, and the people 
were very strong. They said this because they were afraid, 
and did not want the children of Israel to go there. 

But two of the spies, named Caleb and Joshua, wanted them 
to go. They remembered that God had promised to give them 
the land, and they were sure that he would keep his promise, 
for they had faith in him. Caleb spoke to the children of Israel 
and begged them to go at once into Canaan, and said they were 














154 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


well able to take it for their own. But the other spies per¬ 
suaded them not to go, and said that the people who lived 
there were giants, so large that the men whom Moses had 
sent seemed only like grasshoppers when they came near to 
them. So the children of Israel would not go. They all 
began to weep, and they cried that night, and murmured 
against Moses and Aaron, saying, We wish that God had let 
us die in the land of Egypt, or as we came through this wilder¬ 
ness. And they asked, Why has the Lord brought us up to 
this land, so that we, our wives and our children should be 
killed by our enemies ? Then they said to one another, Let us 
choose a captain instead of Moses, and go back into Egypt. 

Then Moses and Aaron were in great distress. Joshua and 
Caleb, the two good spies, were troubled also, and they spoke to 
the people again, and told them that the land they had been 
through was a good land, and they begged them not to be afraid 
of the men who lived there; for the Lord would not help those 
men, they said, but he would help the children of Israel. But 
the people Avere angry at Caleb and Joshua for saying this, and 
wanted to stone them. 

Then the Lord was greatly displeased with the children of 
Israel, and he told Moses that he would send a pestilence to 
destroy them, and would no longer have them for his people, 
but would make of Moses’ descendants a greater nation than 
they were. But Moses spoke to the Lord, and said, that if he 
should destroy the people and not bring them unto the land he 
had promised to give them, all the heathen nations who heard 
of it would say, that it was because the Lord was unable to 
bring them in. And Moses prayed that the Lord would not 
destroy the children of Israel, but would keep them for his 
people. 

And the Lord heard Moses’ prayer and promised not to de¬ 
stroy them. Yet he said that because they had so often dis¬ 
obeyed him, and would not believe his promise after all the 
wonderful things he had done for them, they should not go into 
Canaan, but should turn back into the wilderness, and there they 
should wander forty years, until all the men who refused to go 


THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 


155 


in were dead. Then, after the forty years were ended, and all 
those men had died, God said he would bring their children into 
Canaan. And he promised that Caleb and Joshua, the two good 
spies, should live until that time and go in with them. 

When the children of Israel heard this, they were sorry for 
what they had done; and they rose up early in the morning, 
and told Moses that now they were willing to go. But Moses 
told them not to go, for the Lord would not help them, and if 
they should go they would be killed by their enemies. Yet 
they disobeyed him and went, and the people of the land came 
and fought against them, and chased them as bees chase persons 
who come near their hive. Then the children of Israel came 
back into their camp and stayed there many days. Afterward 
they all returned into the wilderness again. 

While they were in the wilderness, some of the people found 
a man who was at work, gathering sticks, on the sabbath day, 
and so disobeying the Lord’s commandment. And they took 
him and put him in some place to keep him safe, until they 
should know what the Lord would have done to him for his sin. 
And the Lord said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to 
death. All the people shall take him out of the camp, and 
stone him with stones until he is dead. Then they took the 
man, and brought him out of the camp, and stoned him as the 
Lord commanded. 

After these things three men, named Korah, Dathan, and 
Abiram, with two hundred and fifty more of the men of Israel, 
came to Moses and Aaron and spoke against them, saying, that 
Aaron had no right to be high priest, and that Moses ought not 
to be the ruler over the people. Now Korah was one of the Le- 
vites who waited on the priests at the tabernacle, but he was not 
satisfied with doing this, he wanted to be a priest himself. That 
was the reason he came, bringing these men with him, to speak 
against Aaron. And Moses heard what they said, and told 
them, that the next day, each of them should take a censer and 
burn incense in it, as the priests did, and Aaron should do so 
too. Then, Moses said, the Lord would show which was the 
man he chose for high priest. 


156 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


The next day Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and the two hun¬ 
dred and fifty men, took censers and put fire in them, and 
sprinkled incense on the fire, as the priests did at the tabernacle. 



THE EARTH SWALLOWS UP KORAH, DATHAN, AND ABIRAM. 


And all the rest of the children of Israel came out with them 
to rebel against, or refuse to obey, Moses and Aaron. But the 
Lord was greatly displeased with the people for coming. He 
commanded them to go away from Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 



















THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 


157 


So the people went away from them. Then Moses said, that if 
the ground should open and swallow up these men, the children 
of Israel would know that they had offended the Lord. And as 
soon as Moses was done speaking, the ground opened and swal¬ 
lowed up Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with their tents, and all 
who were in them. And they cried out as they went down alive 
under the ground; and the earth closed over them. And all 
the people that were near them tied away, when they heard 
their cry, for they feared the earth would swallow up them also. 
At the same time that Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were swal¬ 
lowed up, the Lord sent fire that slew the two hundred and fifty 
men who had come out with them. 

And on the morrow all the people murmured against Moses 
and Aaron, and said it was they who had killed Korah, Dathan, 
and Abiram, and the two hundred and fifty men. The people 
said, also, that these men were good men. Then the Lord was 
very angry with the children of Israel; he said to Moses and 
Aaron, Go away from them, that I may destroy them in a mo¬ 
ment. But Moses and Aaron fell on their faces and prayed for 
the children of Israel. Yet the Lord would not hear them, for 
even while they were praying, he sent a great pestilence among 
the people, and many were already dying in the camp. 

As soon as Moses knew it, he said to Aaron, Take a censer 
and put fire in it from off the altar of burnt offering, and 
sprinkle incense on the fire, and go out quickly and offer up 
the incense to the Lord for the people, because the plague has 
begun. And Aaron did as Moses said; he ran out among the 
people and stood, with the burning incense, between those who 
had died and those who were still living, and the Lord caused 
the plague to cease. Yet there died of it fourteen thousand 
and seven hundred persons, beside Korah, Dathan, and Abi¬ 
ram, and the two hundred and fifty men who were slain with 
them. 

After this the Lord commanded each of the tribes of the 
children of Israel to send Moses a rod. And he commanded 
Moses to write the name of the man who brought it, upon every 
rod, so that the rods might be told one from another. Then 


158 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Moses was to take them to the tabernacle, into the most holy 
place, and leave them there before the ark, all night. And one 
of them, God said, should grow in the night, and bear blossoms, 
as if it were still growing on the tree. And the man whose name 
was found written on that rod, would be the one whom God 
chose for his high priest. God did this because the people had 
come with Korah to complain against Aaron, saying that he 
ought not to be high priest. 

So the people sent the rods to Moses. And after he had 
written the names on them, Moses took them into the tabernacle 
and left them before the ark all night. The next day he went 



and looked at them, and one of them had grown with blossoms 
and borne almonds; on this rod Aaron’s name was written. 
Then Moses brought out the rods to all the people, and they 
saw that none had grown but Aaron’s. And God commanded 
Moses to take that rod and put it in the tabernacle again, to be 














THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 


159 


kept there, so that the children of Israel might always remem¬ 
ber that God had chosen Aaron for his high priest. 

When Aaron and his sons should die, their sons who lived 
after them, were to be priests; for all the men who should be 
descended from Aaron, were to be priests for the children of 
Israel. And God told the people again, that the men of the 
tribe of Levi should be with Aaron and his sons, to help them 
and wait on them, and do the work at the tabernacle. 

And the Lord said that all the other tribes of the children 
of Israel must give to the priests and the Levites a part of their 
grain, of their fruit, and of their cattle. For when they should 
come into the land of Canaan the priests and the Levites would 
not have fields given them, where they could sow seed and plant 
vineyards, like the rest of the people. They w 7 ould not have 
time to attend to these things—they were to stay at the taber¬ 
nacle, attending to the worship of God. Therefore the other 
tribes were commanded to give them a tenth part of their grain, 
of their fruit, of their cattle, and of everything they should get. 

And the children of Israel journeyed and came into the des¬ 
ert of Zin. And Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, died 
and was buried there. And there was no water for the people. 
Then they spoke wickedly again to Moses and Aaron, saying, 
Why have ye brought us up into this wilderness, that we and 
our cattle should die ? No figs grow here, or vines, or pome¬ 
granates, and there is no water for us. 

And the Lord told Moses to call the people together at a 
rock which was near that place, and to take the rod in his hand, 
and go with Aaron and speak to the rock: then, the Lord said, 
water should come out of it. Now Moses and Aaron were very 
angry because the people had spoken against them. And when 
they came to the rock, Moses said to them, Hear now, ye rebels; 
must we fetch you water out of this rock ? And he lifted up 
his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod, and water 
came out, a great deal of it, enough for all the children of 
Israel and their cattle to drink. 

But Moses sinned when he spoke in anger to the people. He 
should not have said to them, Must we fetch you water out of 


160 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


this rock ? as if he and Aaron were doing it. It was the Lord 
who made the water come out for the children of Israel, and 
Moses and Aaron should have taught them to thank him for it. 
But they did not; they took the honor to themselves. And the 
Lord was displeased with them for what they had done, and he 
said that because they had not honored him before the people, 
they should not bring them into the land of Canaan. The chil¬ 
dren of Israel should go into that land, when the forty years 
were ended which they must pass in the wilderness, but Moses 
and Aaron should not go in with them. They must both die 
before that time. 

And the people came near to Edom, the country where Esau 
went to live. As we have read in the book of Genesis, Esau 
took his wives, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, and all that he 
had in Canaan, and went to live in another country called Edom. 
It had been more than two hundred years since Esau went there, 
and no doubt he was long since dead, but his descendants were 
living there still; it was their land. And now the children of 
Israel wanted to pass through it on their journey to Canaan; 
therefore Moses asked permission of the king. 

Moses sent word to him, saying, Thou knowest how our fathers 
went down into Egypt, and we have lived there for a long time; 
and the Egyptians treated us, and our fathers, very cruelly. But 
when we cried to the Lord, he heard us and he has brought us 
out of that land. And now, we pray thee, let us pass through 
thy country; we will not go through the fields to tread down the 
grain, neither will we drink the water out of the wells. We 
will go only by the king’s highway, the road on which every one 
may go, until we have passed through thy land. But the king 
of Edom said they should not pass through, and he came out 
with his army to fight against them. So the children of Israel 
turned and went by a different way. 

And they came to mount Hor. There the Lord spoke to 
Moses and Aaron, and said that Aaron should be gathered to his 
fathers; this meant, that he should die and be buried in the 
grave as his fathers had been. And the Lord said to Moses, 
Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and bring them up on mount 


THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 


161 



Hor; and take off the high priest’s garments from Aaron, and 
put them on Eleazar, and Aaron shall die there. And Moses 
did as the Lord commanded. He and Aaron and Eleazar, 
Aaron’s oldest son, went up on mount Hor, and all the people 
saw them going up. And Moses took the high priest’s garments 
off of Aaron, and put them on Eleazar his son, and Aaron died 
there on the top of the mount. So Eleazar was made high priest 
in the place of his father. And Moses and Eleazar came down 
from the mount. When all the people saw that Aaron was dead, 
they mourned for him thirty days. 

But the children of Israel had yet a long way to go, and they 
grew weary of the journey, and sinned again, by speaking against 


MOSES LIFTS UP THE SERPENT OF BRASS. 

God and against Moses. They said, There is no bread here for us, 
or water, and we loathe this manna. And the Lord was angry, 
and sent fiery serpents into the camp, which bit the people so that 
many of them died. Then they came to Moses and said, We 
11 


















162 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against 
thee; and they begged Moses to pray that the serpents might be 
taken from them. And Moses prayed for them ; and the Lord 
commanded him to make a serpent of brass, like those which bit 
the people, and to set it up on a pole. And whoever was bitten, 
the Lord said, if he would look at that serpent of brass, should 
be made well. 

And Moses made a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole, 
and when any one who had been bitten looked at it, he was 
made well. Yet the serpent of brass could not make him well. 
It was the Lord who did it, because that serpent, lifted up on 
the pole, meant, or represented, the Saviour who was to be lifted 
up on the cross. And it was intended to teach us, who read of 
it now, how we should look up to the Saviour, so that he may 
save us from being punished for our sins. 


CHAPTERS XXII.-XXXV. 

B. C. 1452. 

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ENCAMP ON THE PLAINS OF MOAB. BALAK 
SENDS FOR BALAAM TO CURSE THEM. THE PEOPLE SIN AND ARE 
PUNISHED BY A PLAGUE. THEY COME TO JORDAN. TWO AND A HALF 
TRIBES ASK PERMISSION TO STAY ON THAT SIDE THE RIVER. 

T HE children of Israel journeyed again, and came to the 
plains of Moab. A people called the Moabites lived there, 
whose king was named Balak. When Balak saw the children 
of Israel he was afraid, because he thought they had come to 
make war against him, and there were too many of them for his 
soldiers to fight with. Therefore he sent for a man named Ba¬ 
laam to come and curse them. We curse a person when we ask 
God to send some great evil upon him. The king of the Moab¬ 
ites wanted some great evil sent upon the children of Israel, 
and he thought that if Balaam asked for it God would send it, 
because Balaam pretended to have power with God. 

So the king sent for Balaam, and told him that he would give 
him silver and gold, and make him rich and great, if he would 
come and curse the children of Israel. Now Balaam loved 
riches, and although the children of Israel had done him no 




BALAAM SEES THE ANGEL IN HIS PATH 


























164 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


harm, he was willing to curse them for the silver and gold 
which the king promised to give him. Therefore he rose up 
early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and started to go 
with the men whom the king had sent for him. 

And God was angry with Balaam for going, and sent his 
angel to stand before him in the way, with a drawn sword in 
his hand. Balaam could not see the angel, but the ass saw him, 
and she turned out of the way into the field. And Balaam 
struck the ass to make her go back. And the angel went on 
further, and stood in Balaam’s path, at a place where there was 
a wall on each side of it. When the ass came to the place, she 
pressed up very close to the wall, to get by, but she hurt Ba¬ 
laam’s foot in doing so, and he struck her again. And the an¬ 
gel went on further still, and stood in a narrow place where 
there was no room to turn to the right hand, or the left. Then 
the ass, because she was afraid, fell down upon the ground un¬ 
der Balaam. And Balaam was very angry, and struck her 
with the staff that was in his hand. 

And the Lord made the ass to speak like a man, and say, 
What have I done to thee that thou hast struck me these three 
times ? Balaam answered, that it was because she had disobeyed 
him, and turned out of the way when he wanted her to go on. 
And Balaam said, I wish there was a sword in my hand, for now 
would I kill thee. And the ass spoke to him again, saying, Hast 
thou not ridden upon me ever since I was thine, until this day, 
and have I ever done so before. He answered, No. 

Then the Lord made Balaam see the angel standing before 
him, with the sword in his hand, and Balaam bowed down with 
his face to the ground. And the angel said to him, Why hast 
thou struck thine ass these three times ? Behold I have come 
out against thee, because thy way is wicked before me. And 
the ass saw me and turned out of the path ; unless she had turned 
from me, surely now I had slain thee and saved her alive. Then 
the angel commanded Balaam to go with the men whom the 
king had sent, but to speak to the king only those things 
which the angel should tell him. 

So Balaam went with the men, and when the king heard of 


THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 


165 


it he came out to meet him. The next day the king took him 
up on a high place, from which Balaam could look down and 
see all the camp of the children of Israel. And Balaam told 
the king to build seven altars in that place, and get ready seven 
bullocks and seven rams, to offer up as burnt offerings. And the 
king did as Balaam said; he built seven altars, and they offered 
up a bullock and a ram on every altar. Then Balaam asked 
the king to stay by the burnt offering while he went away to a 
place alone, that he might see whether the Lord would speak 
with him, and let him curse the children of Israel. 

And Balaam went away to a place alone, and the Lord came 
and met him there. Then Balaam told him of the altars he 
had built, and of the animals he had offered. But the Lord 
would not let him curse the children of Israel; he sent him 
back to the king and made him speak good things of them. 

Then the king told Balaam to come to another place; and he 
took him up to the top of a mountain, and there he built seven 
more altars, and made ready seven bullocks and seven rams, 
and they offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. For 
Balaam thought that, by building so many altars and offering 
up so many sacrifices, he might persuade the Lord to let him 
curse the people. But it was wicked in Balaam to think so, 
for the Lord would not be persuaded to let any one do wrong, 
no matter how often he should ask, or how many offerings he 
should bring him. 

Then Balaam told the king again, to stay by his burnt offer¬ 
ings, while he went away alone to speak with the Lord and 
ask permission to curse the people. And Balaam went away, 
and the Lord came and spoke to him, yet he would not let 
him curse the children of Israel. 

And the king said to Balaam, Come, I will bring thee yet to 
another place; perhaps the Lord will let thee curse them from 
there. Then he took him to a mountain called Peor, and built 
seven altars, and they offered up a bullock and a ram on every 
altar, as they had done before. Still the Lord would not let Ba¬ 
laam curse the people, for when he came to speak with the king, 
the Lord made him say good things of them and bless them. 


166 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



called the Midianites, to invite the children of Israel to the 
feasts which they held to their idols. And the Moabites and 
Midianites did as Balaam said. They invited the children of 
Israel to their feasts, and the children of Israel came and ate 
with them, and bowed down to their idols. Then the Lord was 
angry with the children of Israel, and sent a pestilence which 
killed many thousands of them. 

And the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness forty 
years. But when those years were ended God brought them 
near to the land of Canaan again, and he commanded Moses and 


And the king was angry at Balaam, and said, I sent for thee to 
curse my enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them these three 
times. Then he told him to make haste and go back to his own 
home. And he sent him away, without any of the silver and 
gold which Balaam wanted so much. 

When the Moabites found that they could not bring evil upon 
the children of Israel, by seeking permission for Balaam to curse 
them, they tried another way to do them harm. They tempted 
them to sin and offend God. Balaam taught the Moabites how 
to do this. He told them, and another people of that country, 


THE LEVITES CARRYING THE TABERNACLE THROUGH THE WILDERNESS. 





THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 


167 


Eleazar to number them, and count how many of the men were 
able to be soldiers, and go to war, as Moses and Aaron had done 
while their camp was at mount Sinai. And when Moses and 
Eleazar went out and numbered them, they found that all those 
men who had refused to go into Canaan the first time, had died 
in the wilderness, as the Lord said they should. But Caleb and 
Joshua, the good spies, were living still, for he had promised that 
they should live, to go with the people into the land. 

And the Lord commanded Moses to make war against the 
Midianites, because they had tempted the children of Israel to 
sin and worship idols. Then Moses sent twelve thousand men, 
a thousand from each tribe, against them. And the men of 
Israel gained the victory over them and slew their kings, and 
Balaam also, who had taught the Midianites how to tempt the 
people. And the men of Israel took away all the goods that 
belonged to the Midianites, and all their cattle; seventy-two 
thousand oxen, sixty-one thousand asses, and six hundred and 
seventy-five thousand sheep. And they burned their cities and 
their great castles with fire. After the battle was over, the of¬ 
ficers of the children of Israel came to Moses, and said, We have 
counted the men that went out with us to fight, and all of them 
are here, not one has been slain. Therefore we have brought to 
thee, for the Lord, the gold and the jewels which we took from 
the Midianites. And Moses, and Eleazar the high priest, took 
the gold, and the jewels, and carried them into the tabernacle as 
an offering to the Lord. 

And the Lord brought the people near to the river Jordan ; 
there they made their camp. And they waited until he should 
command them to pass over, for on the other side was the land 
of Canaan. But while they were waiting there, two of the tribes 
of the children of Israel came to Moses and told him, that they 
did not want to pass over Jordan. They wanted to stay in the 
land where they were then (which was called the land of Gilead), 
because it was a good land for feeding cattle, and they had a 
great many cattle. 

And Moses was displeased with them, for he thought they 
wanted to stay there, because they were afraid to fight against the 


168 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


wicked nations in Canaan. He said to them, Shall your brethren 
go over to war, while you rest here? They answered him, We 
will build sheep-folds here for our cattle, and houses for our wives 
and little children to live in; but we, who are men, will go over 
Jordan with our brethren, and help them fight against the nations 
who live there, until those nations shall be driven out and our 
brethren shall have the land for their own. After that we will 
come back, and have our homes on this side the river. And 
Moses said if they would do this, it should be as they wished. 
And he spoke to the rest of the people, and told them to let the 
two tribes have the land that they asked for. So the people 
gave them the land of Gilead. 

And the men of the two tribes built folds for their sheep, and 
houses for their families to live in, till they should come back to 
that land again. These two tribes were the tribes of Reuben 
and Gad. And half of the tribe of Manasseh, also, asked per¬ 
mission to stay and have their homes on that side of Jordan. 

And the Lord spoke to Moses, and told him that when the 
children of Israel should go over into Canaan, they must drive 
out all the heathen nations that lived there. They must break 
down their idols, and destroy the places they had built to wor¬ 
ship their idols in. They must take the land from those wicked 
nations and keep it for themselves, because the Lord meant to 
give it to them. Every man among the children of Israel was 
to have a part of the land given him, where he might build 
his house, and sow his grain, and feed his cattle. But if they 
would not obey the Lord, and drive out all the heathen nations, 
then, the Lord said, those that were left would cause the chil¬ 
dren of Israel also, to sin, and to worship idols, so that after a 
while the Lord would drive them out too, as he was now going 
to drive out those wicked nations. 

And the Lord told Moses how large the land was that he 
would give the children of Israel, and how far it would reach. 
And he named the men who should divide it among the people, 
and give to each tribe the part it was to have. But the priests 
and the Levites were to have no land given them. Yet they 
would need houses to live in; therefore the Lord commanded the 


THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 


169 


people to give them some of the cities of Canaan. They were to 
give them forty-eight cities, which should belong to them. And 
the priests and Levites were to take their wives, and their sons 
and their daughters, into those cities, and have their homes there. 


THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 


B. C. 1451. 


MOSES SPEAKS TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. HE TELLS THEM OF THE 
GOOD LAND TO WHICH THEY ARE GOING, AND WARNS THEM NOT TO 
FORGET GOD WHEN THEY SHALL COME THERE. THE CITIES OF REF' 
UGE. THE FIRST FRUITS MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE TABERNACLE. 
MOSES DIES ON MOUNT NEBO. 


W HILE the children of Israel had their camp near the river 
Jordan, Moses spoke to them for the last time. He knew 
that he could not go with them into Canaan, but must die be¬ 
fore they went, and he feared that after he should be taken from 
them, they would forget the things that God had spoken to them 
and done for them. Therefore he told them again about many 
of those things. He reminded them of the time when they came 
near to Canaan before, but would not go into it, because the 
spies who had been through the land told them that the people 
were greater and stronger than they. And the Lord was angry 
with the children of Israel and sent them back into the wilder¬ 
ness, where they had stayed forty years. Then Moses said, as 
the end of that time drew near, the Lord commanded them to 
come toward Canaan again. 

And as they came they passed by the land of Bashan, and 
Og, king of Bashan, came out and fought with them. But the 
Lord gave them the victory over him. They took from him 
sixty cities, which had high walls around them, with gates, and 
bars to keep the gates shut, when their enemies should come 
against them. The Lord gave the children of Israel also, the 
land on which those cities stood, and all the cattle that belonged 
to the people. This Og, king of Bashan, was a giant; for the 
Bible tells us there were giants in those days, and Og was the 




170 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


last one left of them in that country. His bedstead was made 
of iron, and was twice as large as the bedsteads of other men. 

And Moses told the people that he begged the Lord, at that 
time, to let him go over and see the good land to which they were 
going across Jordan. But the Lord would not let him go, and 
commanded him to speak of it no more. For he remembered 
how Moses and Aaron had sinned at the rock, where they were 
sent to bring out water for the people. Yet the Lord said that 
Moses should go up on a high mountain from which he could 
see that land afar off, but he should not cross over Jordan and 
go into it. 

Then Moses asked the Lord to choose a man who should go 
over with the people and lead them as he had done, because if 
they should have no one to guide and take care of them, they 
might be scattered and lost, like sheep without a shepherd. And 
the Lord said that Joshua should go with them, and that they 
should obey him as they had before obeyed Moses. 

And Moses told all the people that God said they should teach 
his commandments to their children, and talk with their children 
about them, while they were sitting at home in the house; when 
they went out, as they walked by the way; before they went to 
sleep at night, and when they awoke in the morning. They were 
to tell them often about God, how great and good and kind he 
was, and about his laws, so that they might learn to obey them. 

And when the Lord should bring the children of Israel into 
Canaan and give them great and beautiful cities which they had 
not built, and houses full of good things which they had not 
brought there, and wells which they had not digged, and vine¬ 
yards and olive trees which they had not planted; when they 
should have all these things given them, with as much to eat as 
they wanted, they must be careful lest they should forget the 
Lord who gave them these things. 

They must remember, then, how he had led them forty years 
through the wilderness and fed them with manna. In all that 
time their clothes had not grown old, nor worn out, and though 
they had come so far, their feet had never swollen nor been sore 
with their journey. For God had led them through that lonely 


THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 


171 


wilderness, where there was no bread to eat or water to drink, 
that he might bring them into a better land, where streams ran 
through the fields, and springs of water came out of the ground, 
in the valleys and on the hills. In that good land the wheat 
grew and bore grain, and the vine bore grapes; the fig-tree, the 
pomegranate, and the olive, bore their fruit. There the children 
of Israel should have bread enough, and never want anything. 
And under the ground, among the rocks, and in the hills, they 
should find iron and brass, of which they could make many 
things that # they needed to use. 

And after they should come to that good land, and their herds 
of cattle and flocks of sheep should grow larger, and they should 
be rich, and have very much of silver and gold; then they must 
not be proud, and say they had gotten these things for them¬ 
selves, for it was the Lord who would give them to the children 
of Israel. And if they forgot him, and served other gods, they 
also would be destroyed like those nations which he was now 
going to destroy in the land of Canaan. 

And Moses told the people that very soon they were to pass 
over Jordan, and the Lord would go before them. They would 
have to fight against the nations that lived there, but it was the 
Lord who would give them the victory. And when he should 
have given them the victory, and driven out those nations, the 
children of Israel must not say that it was because they were 
righteous he had done it. For it was not because they were 
righteous, but because those nations were wicked that God would 
drive them out; and because he had promised Abraham, and 
Isaac, and Jacob, that he would give the land to the children 
of Israel. For the children of Israel had not been righteous, 
they had not obeyed the Lord. They should remember, and 
never forget, how often in the wilderness they had sinned against 
him, from the time they left Egypt until they came to that place 
where their camp was then. 

And Moses said that the land of Canaan to which they were 
going, was not like the land of Egypt from which they came. 
In Egypt it scarcely ever rained. A river, called the Nile, ran 
through the land. Once every year this river rose up higher 


172 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


than it was at other times, and flowed over the fields and gardens 
that were near it. But where the water from the river did not 
come, the people had to carry it or nothing would grow. This 
caused them great labor and trouble. But in Canaan rain fell 
from the sky and watered all the land. And now, Moses said, 
that if the children of Israel would love God, and serve him 
with all their hearts, he would send them this rain as it should 
be needed, to make the corn, the vines, and the olive-trees grow, 
and grass also in the fields for the cattle to eat. 

But the people of Canaan served idols, and made places in 
which to worship them, on mountains and hills, and under trees. 
They built altars also on which they offered sacrifices to them: 
even their sons and their daughters they burned in the fire to 
their false gods. Moses told the children of Israel again, that 
they must destroy all the places where idols had been wor¬ 
shipped, and throw down the altars and the images. But the 
children of Israel must offer their sacrifices in only one place, 
which the Lord would choose for them after they came into the 
land of Canaan. There his tabernacle would be, and the people 
must bring all their burnt offerings there to be burned by the 
priests on the altar. 

And if any man should try to persuade one of them to go 
away from the tabernacle and sacrifice to other gods, and not 
to the Lord, the one whom he persuaded must not go with him, 
but he must tell all the people of what the man had said, and 
the people must take that man out and stone him with stones 
till he was dead. 

And the Lord commanded the children of Israel, whenever 
there should be any poor man among them, to be kind to him, 
and lend him whatever he needed, even though they might think 
he could never pay them again. And they should lend to him 
willingly, not feeling sorry to do it, nor wishing in their hearts 
that he had not asked them; for on account of their being 
kind to the poor, the Lord would bless them in everything 
they did. 

And God told the children of Israel that some of the cities in 
the land of Canaan must be cities of refuge; this meant, cities 



FLEEING TO THE CITY OF REFUGE, 



















174 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


where a man who had killed another by accident, might go and 
be safe from punishment. God had said before, that any person 
who killed another on purpose, and because he hated him, should 
be put to death. He would be a murderer, and the murdered 
man’s brother, or his son, or his nearest relation, was allowed to 
kill him wherever he found him. But sometimes a man might 
kill another without intending it. He might go to the woods to 
cut down a tree, and w r hile doing it, the head of his axe might 
fly from the handle, and strike some one who was standing near, 
and hurt him so that he would die. Then the man who killed 
the other would not be a murderer. Yet for fear the dead man’s 
brother, or his son, or some relation of his, might come in anger 
and kill him, he must make haste to the city of refuge. 

And when he should come to the gate of the city, he must tell 
the elders who lived there of what he had done. And the elders 
would take him into the city and give him a place where he 
might live. And if the brother, or the son, of the man he had 
killed, should come and ask for him, they would not give 
him up, because, although he had killed the man, he had not 
meant to do him any harm. But if some wicked murderer 
should come there, the elders would not take him into the city 
to save him from punishment, they would give him up to be 
put to death for his sin. 

The Lord said that when the people should come into Canaan 
and live there, and have the land for their own, each man must 
take the first of the grain, and the first of the fruits, that should 
grow ripe in his fields, and put them into a basket and bring 
them to the tabernacle. And the priest at the tabernacle should 
take the basket out of the man’s hand, and set it down before 
the altar of burnt offering. Then the man should say, I have 
brought the first fruits of the land which thou, O Lord, hast 
given me. And there he should worship the Lord. And the 
man was to leave the basket, with the first fruits in it, at the 
tabernacle; and the Lord said these should belong to the priest. 
For the Lord gave them to the priest, because the priests would 
have no fields, or orchards, in which to raise grain and fruit 
for themselves. And the Lord commanded each man among 


THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 175 

the children of Israel to bring his first fruits, every year, in 
this way as an offering to the tabernacle. 

Moses told the people that on the day they should go over 
Jordan into Canaan, they must set up some great stones there 
and cover them with plaster. And while the plaster was yet 
soft, they must write on it all the words of the law which God 
had given them. Then when the plaster grew hard, those words 
would remain ; and every one who passed by could read God’s 
law written upon it. 

And Moses said to the children of Israel that if they would 
obey the Lord, the Lord would make them greater than any 
other nation. He would bless their children, their land, and 
their cattle. Their enemies who should come out against them, 
would be afraid and flee away before them. And all the other 
nations of the earth should know that the Lord had chosen them 
for his people. But if they would not obey him, they should 
have great trouble. They would sow much seed in their fields, 
but reap only a little grain, for the locusts would come and de¬ 
stroy it; they would plant their vines, but should not gather the 
grapes, for the worms would eat them. They should have sick¬ 
ness such as could not be cured. And the Lord would send 
against them a fierce nation that would not pity the old or the 
young, but would take their cattle and their food, and at last 
carry them and their children away, as captives, to other lands; 
where the children of Israel should be slaves to their enemies, 
and, like their enemies, worship idols of wood and stone. 

Moses said to the people that he had now set before them the 
good way and the evil way, and he begged them to choose the 
good way, so that they and their children might live and not 
die. And he told them he was a hundred and twenty years old 
that day and could not go over Jordan with them, but Joshua, 
he said, would go. And he called Joshua before them all, and 
told them that he was to go with them, and lead them, and help 
them take the land. And the Lord commanded Moses to come 
with Joshua to the tabernacle; and when they came there, the 
Lord appeared to them in the pillar of cloud, and he appointed 
Joshua to be ruler over the people after Moses should die. 


176 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And Moses wrote down in a book the laws which God had 
given him. And he commanded the priests and the elders, once 
in every seven years, to gather all the people together, the men, 
the women, and the children, and to read those laws out loud to 
them, that they might hear them and learn to obey them. And 



MOSES AND JOSHUA AT THE TABERNACLE. 

he gave the book to the Levites who carried the ark, and told 
them to take it and put it in the side of the ark, that it might 
always be kept there. 

After these things, the Lord spoke to Moses and commanded 
him to go up on a mountain, called mount Nebo, and to look 
from there across Jordan into the land where the children of 
Israel were going. Then, when he should have seen that land, 
the Lord said, Moses should die on the mount, as Aaron had 
died on mount Hor. And Moses went from the place where 
the children of Israel had their camp, on to the mountain which 
the Lord told him of. And when he came to the top of it, the 
Lord made him see very far over the land of Canaan, and told 




























THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 


177 


him that this was the land which he had promised Abraham, 
and Isaac, and Jacob, to give their descendants. 

So Moses, the servant of the Lord died there on the top of 
the mount, before the people came into that good land. And 
the Lord buried him in a valley, in the land of Moab, but no 
man has ever known the place where he was buried. He was a 
hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet he had not 
grown weak from age, but was well and strong until the day 
that the Lord took him. 

After he was dead, Joshua ruled over the people, and they 
obeyed him as they had obeyed Moses. For the Lord gave 


Joshua wisdom, and made him able to teach them and guid& 
them as Moses had done before. But there was never afterward 
any man among the children of Israel, whom the Lord talked 
with, face to face, as he did with Moses, or whom he sent to 
do such wonderful works as he sent him to do, in Egypt and in 
the wilderness. 



12 











178 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 


CHAPTERS I.-YIII. 

B. C. 1451. 

JOSHUA SENDS SPIES INTO THE CITY OF JERICHO. THE PRIESTS CARRY 
THE ARK BEFORE THE PEOPLE, OVER JORDAN. THE LORD SPEAKS 
TO JOSHUA. THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TAKE JERICHO. ACHAN’S 
SIN AND PUNISHMENT. AI IS TAKEN. 

A ND the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, Moses, my servant, is 
dead. Now, therefore, do thou arise and take the children 
of Israel over Jordan, into that land which I give them. Be 
strong and brave, and very careful to obey all that is -written in 
the book of the law, so that thou mayest do well and prosper. 
And fear not, for I will be with thee to help thee wherever thou 
goest. Then Joshua spoke to the officers of the children of Is¬ 
rael, and said to them, Go through the camp and command all 
the people that they make food ready to take with them, for 
within three days you shall pass over Jordan. 

And Joshua sent two men as spies over Jordan, to look at the 
land before the children of Israel should go into it. And the 
men crossed over the river to a city of Canaan, called Jericho, 
and went into the house of a woman named Rahab. And some 
one told the king of Jericho, that two spies of the children of 
Israel had come into the -city and were at Rahab’s house. Then 
the king sent to Rahab and asked her to bring out the men. 
Now the roofs of the houses in that country were flat, so that 
persons could walk on them. And Rahab took the two men 
up on the roof of her house, and hid them under some stalks 
of flax which were spread out to dry there. 

And the king’s messengers came, but could not find them. 
.After the messengers had gone, Rahab -went up and talked with 
the men. She told them that she knew the Lord had given the 
land to the children of Israel, for the people of Canaan had 
heard how he made the Red Sea dry for them to cross over it, 
and afterward helped them in fighting against their enemies. 
As soon as the people heard of these things, Rahab said, they 
were afraid of the children of Israel. Then she asked the two 



THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 


179 



men to promise that they would remember her kindness to them, 
and not let her, or any of her family, be put to death, when the 
children of Israel should come to take the city of Jericho. And 
the men said that if she would tell no one of their coming, they 
would do as she asked. 

Then they told her to fasten some scarlet thread, or cord, in 
the window of her house, so that they could see it from the out- 


ESCAPE OF THE SPIES. 

side, and tell which house was hers, when they should come 
back with all the children of Israel to take the city. And they 
promised that no one inside of her house should be harmed. 

Now Jericho had a wall around it, and Rahab’s house stood 
close to the wall, and was built up above it, so that there was a 
window in her house over the wall. And she let the two men 

















180 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


down from that window, by a cord, outside of the wall, that they 
might flee from the city. For the gates of the city had been 
shut by the king’s servants, to keep the spies from going out 
there. And Rahab told them to go and hide for three days in 
a mountain that was near, until the king’s servants should cease 
looking after them. And the two men went and hid for three 
days in the mountain, as Rahab said, until the servants of the 
king had given up looking for them. Afterward they crossed 
over the river again, and went back to Joshua in the camp and 
told him of all that had happened to them. 

And Joshua and all the people rose up early in the morning 
and came to the banks of the river; there they stayed three 
days. Then Joshua said to the children of Israel, Make your¬ 
selves ready; to-morrow the Lord will do wonders among you. 
For the priests shall carry the ark over Jordan before you, and 
it shall be that as soon as their feet stand in the river the waters 
shall cease to flow, and the priests shall walk through Jordan 
on dry ground. 

And it came true as Joshua said; for on the morrow the 
priests took up the ark and carried it toward the river, and all 
the people followed after them. And when the priests came to 
the edge of the river, as soon as their feet touched the water, the 
water parted before them, and they walked out on dry ground 
into the middle of the river. There they stood with the ark, 
and waited while all the children of Israel passed over to the 
other side, into the land of Canaan. 

The men of the two and a half tribes, who had asked to have 
their homes in the land of Gilead, went over also, as they had 
promised Moses to do, forty thousand of them, armed, to help 
their brethren fight against the nations of the land. After the 
people had gone over, the priests, carrying the ark, followed 
them. And as soon as they came up out of the river and stood 
on the shore, the waters flowed in the river again, filling it as 
full as it had been before. 

And the children of Israel made their camp at a place called 
Gilgal. There they found some of the corn that had grown in 
the land, and they parched it and did eat of it. And on the 


THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 


181 


morrow after they had eaten the corn, the manna ceased com¬ 
ing. For forty years the Lord had sent it to them in the wil¬ 
derness, where no grain grew. But now they were in Canaan, 
where there was plenty of food for them, therefore the Lord 
sent the manna no more. 


And Joshua went out of the camp and came near to the walls 
of the city of Jericho. And he looked up and saw a man 



THE PRIESTS CARRY THE ARK OVER JORDAN. 


standing there, with a drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua 
came to him, and said, Art thou for us or for our enemies ? The 
man answered, As captain of the Lord’s army I am come. He 
called the army of Israel the Lord’s army, and he meant to tell 
Joshua that he had come as their captain, to show them how 
they should gain the victory over their enemies. Then Joshua 
bowed down to the earth and worshipped him; for this man was 
the Lord; the same that came to Abraham’s tent and told him 
that he would destroy Sodom; and that wrestled with Jacob 
when he was coming back from Laban’s house into Canaan. 







182 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Now the people of Jericho had shut up the gates of the city, 
so that no one could go out or come in, because they were afraid 
of the children of Israel. But the Lord said he would give 
Joshua the victory over the king of Jericho; and he told him 
in what way the children of Israel should take the city. All 
their men of war, or soldiers, he said, should march around the 
city once every day, for six days ; and some of the priests should 
carry the ark around with them. Seven more priests were to go 
before the ark, and to blow on trumpets made of rams’ horns. 
But on the seventh day the children of Israel were commanded 
to march around Jericho seven times, and the priests were to blow 
on the trumpets. Then, when the men of Israel should hear a 
long blast on the trumpets, they were all to give a great shout, 
and the Lord said that the wall of the city should fall down flat, 
so that they could go up into the city. 

And Joshua told the children of Israel that only Raliab, and 
the persons who were in her house with her, should be saved 
alive; for the Lord had commanded that all the rest of the 
people of Jericho should be put to death for their sins. And 
Joshua said that all the silver and gold, and the vessels made 
out of brass and iron, which should be found in the city, belonged 
to the Lord, and must be put into the treasury where the things 
were kept which were given to him. Joshua commanded the 
people not to take any of the silver or gold, or brass or iron, 
for their own, lest the Lord should send a great punishment 
upon them for their disobedience. 

And the people did as the Lord commanded. On the first day 
they marched around the city once, and after them came the 
priests that blew on the trumpets. Then followed the priests 
who carried the ark. On the second day they marched around 
the city again. So they did for six days. But on the seventh 
day they rose up early, before it was light, and marched around 
the city seven times. The last time, when the priests blew with 
the trumpets, Joshua said to the children of Israel, Shout, for 
the Lord has given you the city. 

Then the people shouted, and as they did so, the wall of the 
city fell down flat before them, and they went up into Jericho 


THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 


183 



and took it. And Joshua told the spies who had been at Rahab’s 
house before, to go and bring out all the persons who were there, 
as they had promised to do. And they went and brought out 
Rahab and her father, her mother, her brothers, and all who 
were with her. Afterward the children of Israel burned the 


THE TAKING OF JERICHO. 

city; but the silver and gold, and the vessels of iron and brass, 
were put into the treasury of the Lord. And Joshua saved Ra¬ 
hab alive, and all her relations, because she hid the spies whom 
he had sent into Jericho. And after that she lived among the 
children of Israel. 

And Joshua sent spies to another city of Canaan, called Ai. 
And the spies came back and told him that not many people 
lived there, and that only a small army of the men of Israel 
need go up to take the city. Two or three thousand of them 
would be enough, they said. So Joshua sent up about three 









184 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


thousand men. But when the men of Ai came out against 
them, the Israelites were afraid and fled, and the men of Ai 
slew about thirty-six of them. 

Then Joshua was in great distress. He rent his clothes, and 
he and the elders of Israel, bowed down with their faces to the 
earth, praying, until the evening. And Joshua cried to the 
Lord, saying, All the people of Canaan will hear how the chil¬ 
dren of Israel have fled before their enemies; and they will 
gather around us on every side and kill us, till none of us are 
left. But the Lord told him to rise up, and asked him why 
he lay with his face to the ground. There was sin among the 
children of Israel, the Lord said, and that was the reason they 
had been afraid, and not able to stand before their enemies. 
For one of them had taken some of the silver and gold that 
was in Jericho, and hidden it, instead of putting it in the treas¬ 
ury of the Lord. And the Lord said he would not be with 
them to help them again, unless they punished the man who 
had done this thing. 

And he commanded Joshua to bring out all the people before 
him, that he might show who the man was. That man, the Lord 
said, should be burned with fire—he and all that he had. So 
Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought out all the 
people, and the Lord showed him the man. His name was 
Achan. And Joshua said to him, Tell me now what thou hast 
done—hide it not from me. Achan answered, that when he 
had seen in Jericho a beautiful garment, and some silver money, 
and a piece of gold, he wanted them for his own; so he took 
them, and hid them in the ground under his tent. 

Then Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to Achan’s tent, 
and found the things hidden there as he said. And they took 
them out and brought them to Joshua, and to all the children 
of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. And Joshua and 
all the people, took Achan, and the beautiful garment, and the 
silver and gold which he had hidden, his sons also and his 
daughters, his tent and his cattle, and everything that he had, 
and brought them into a valley. There they stoned them with 
stones, and afterward burned them with fire. And over Achan’s 


THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 


185 


dead body they raised a great heap of stones, to show where it 
lay. Therefore the Lord was no longer angry with the children 
of Israel on account of this sin, because they punished the man 
who had done it. And the name of the valley was called Achor, 
which means Trouble. 



ACHAN’S SIN. 


Then the Lord said to Joshua, Fear not; take all the men 
of war with thee, and go up again to Ai, for now I will give thee 
the city, and the king of Ai, his people and his land. And the 
Lord commanded Joshua to do to the people of Ai as he had 
done to the people of Jericho; they were to be put to death for 











186 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


their sins. But he said that the gold and the silver which the 
children of Israel should find there, they need not put into the 
treasury of the Lord; they might take it for themselves. 

So Joshua arose, and all the men of war, to go up against Ai. 
But they did not all of them go together. Joshua chose thirty 
thousand brave soldiers, whom he sent away in the night to go 
around behind the city, and hide where the people of Ai could 
not see them. The rest went with Joshua in front of the city. 
When the king of Ai saw the men who were with Joshua, he 
thought they were all that had come, and he marched out with 
his army to fight against them. Then those who were hidden 
behind the city, came into it and set it on fire. And the men of 
Ai looked back, and saw the smoke of their city going up to¬ 
ward heaven, and they knew not which way to go. Joshua and 
his men were in front of them, and those who had set the city 
on fire were behind them, so they could not escape. And Joshua 
put them to death, as the Lord commanded. But the gold and 
silver, and the cattle which were in Ai, the children of Israel 
took for their own. 

And Joshua built an altar of great stones on the mountain 
called Ebal; and he covered the stones with plaster and wrote 
on the plaster the words of God’s law, as Moses commanded the 
children of Israel to do before they crossed over Jordan. 


CHAPTERS IX.-XXIV. 

B. C. 1451-1427. 

THE GIBEONITES DECEIVE THE MEN OF ISRAEL. JOSHUA WARS AGAINST 
THE CANAANITES. THE SUN AND MOON STAND STILL. THE MEN 
OF THE TWO AND A HALF TRIBES RETURN TO GILEAD. JOSHUA 
SPEAKS TO THE PEOPLE. HE DIES. 

W HEN the kings who lived in Canaan heard how Joshua had 
destroyed Ai, they gathered together to make war against 
him. But the people of a city called Gibeon acted more cun¬ 
ningly. They did not want to make war against Joshua, for 
they knew that the Lord would give him the victory. There¬ 
fore they sent messengers to him, who put on very old clothes 
and worn-out shoes, and carried dry and mouldy bread with 
them, to pretend they had come from another country, and had 



THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 


187 



been a long time on the journey. And they came to Joshua in 
the camp and said to him, We have come from a country far 
off from Canaan, for we heard of your God and of all the great 
things he has done for you; therefore all our people sent us to ask 
that you would make a covenant with them, and be their friends. 

Then Joshua and the children of Israel did not ask the Lord 
what they should do, as they ought to have asked him; they 
promised at once to be friends with the men of Gibeon. But 


THE GIBEONITES DECEIVE THE MEN OP ISRAEL. 

after three days they heard that those men had not come from 
a far country at all, for they lived near by, in Canaan, and were 
among the wicked nations whom the children of Israel were 
commanded to destroy. And Joshua called the men of Gibeon 
to him, and asked them why they had deceived him. They an¬ 
swered that they were afraid for their lives, for they had heard 
how the people of Canaan were to be destroyed and their land 
given to the children of Israel. So the children of Israel did 











188 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



not put the people of Gibeon to death, because they had prom¬ 
ised, before the Lord, to let them live. But Joshua said they 
should be bondsmen, or slaves, and work for the priests and the 
Levites, in cutting the wood and carrying the water which 
would be needed at the tabernacle. 

And the king of a city, called Jerusalem, was angry with the 
people of Gibeon for making friends with the children of Israel. 
Therefore he and four other kings of the land, gathered their 
armies together and came to the city of Gibeon, to fight against 


JOSHUA COMMANDS THE SUN AND MOON TO STAND STILL. 

it. Then the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua, saying, Come up to 
us quickly and help us, for the kings that live in the mountains 
are gathered together against us. So Joshua and all the men of 
war went out against the five kings. And the Lord made the 
kings and their armies afraid of the children of Israel, and they 








THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 


189 


fled from them. As they fled, the Lord cast down great hail¬ 
stones upon them, out of heaven, so that more died from the 
hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. 

But while the men of Israel followed after them, the sun was 
going down and night was coming on, and Joshua feared that 
his enemies would escape in the darkness. Therefore he spoke 
to the sun, commanding it not to go down, and to the moon, com¬ 
manding it to rise no higher in the sky. And the sun stood 
still, and did not go down for many hours after the time that it 
went down on other days. So that day was longer than any 
other day. There was no day like it, either before or after it, 
when the Lord, at Joshua’s prayer, made the sun and the moon 
stand still that the children of Israel might keep on pursuing 
their enemies. The five kings, when their armies fled, hid in a 
cave, and it was told Joshua. Then he spoke to the people, say¬ 
ing, Roll great stones in the mouth of the cave, and set men by 
it to watch it, but do you go on following your enemies. 

After the battle was over and the people had come back to 
Joshua in the camp, he said to them, Open the mouth of the 
cave and bring those five kings out to me. And they did so. 
Then Joshua said to the men of Israel, Fear not, but be strong 
and brave; for as the Lord has done to these kings, so will he 
do to all your enemies against whom you shall have to fight. 
And Joshua put the five kings to death as the Lord had com¬ 
manded. In the evening, as the sun was going down, they took 
their dead bodies and cast them into the cave where they had 
hidden. And the men of Israel laid great stones in the cave’s 
mouth again, to shut it up. 

After this, Joshua gained the victory over twenty-four more 
kings, and yet there was much land left for the men of Israel to 
take in Canaan. For these kings did not rule over whole 
countries, like the kings that are living now; they ruled over 
cities only, or small portions of the land. 

And Joshua had grown old; he could not any longer lead the 
men of Israel out to war as he used to do. And all the people 
came to the city of Shiloh, to set up the tabernacle. They had 
carried it, as we have been told, all the way from mount Sinai, 


190 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


taking it down when they journeyed and setting it up when they 
made their camp. But now they had come into Canaan to 
stay and journey no more. And they brought the tabernacle 
to Shiloh, which was in the middle of the land, and set it up to 
let it stand there; because that was the place which the Lord 
had chosen for it. 

Now, as we have read, the men of the two and a half tribes 
who left their wives and little children in Gilead, had come over 
Jordan with the rest of the men of Israel, to help them fight 
against their enemies and take the land of Canaan. But, since 
they came over, the men of Israel had taken only a part of 
Canaan. The reason was they had grown tired of going out 
to war, and chose rather to rest and be quiet. But the Lord 
was not pleased with them for this, for it seemed as though they 
did not care to have all that good land which he was willing to 
give them. And the Lord spoke to Joshua about it, and said, 
that a large part of the land which he had given to the people 
was not yet taken from the Canaanites. 

Then Joshua spoke to all the people, and asked how long it 
should be, before they would go out against the heathen na¬ 
tions that were still living in Canaan. And he asked them to 
choose men whom he could send out as spies. Then they 
chose twenty-one men, and Joshua sent them through that part 
of the land which the children of Israel had not yet taken. 
He told them to go and see the land, and to write down in a 
book the description of it, and afterward to come back to 
him in Shiloh. 

And the men went as Joshua told them, and walked through 
the land, and they wrote down in a book the description of it, 
and brought the book to Joshua in Shiloh. Then Joshua cast 
lots for the different tribes, so that the Lord might show what 
part of the land each tribe should have. And after the Lord 
had shown them this, Joshua told the men of Israel to go and 
drive out the heathen nations and take the land for their own ; 
and Joshua promised that the Lord would help them. 

And the Lord told the people to choose those cities which were 
to be cities of refuge, where any person who had killed another 


THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 


191 



by accident, might flee and be safe from punishment; and the 
people chose six cities in different parts of the land. 

We have read that the priests and Levites were not to have 
fields given them, in which to sow grain and plant vineyards, 
like the men of the other tribes, because God had chosen them 
to stay at the tabernacle and attend to his worship there. Yet 


JOSHUA CASTING LOTS FOR THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. 

God had said they should have cities to live in. And now the 
priests and Levites came to Joshua and the chief men of Israel, 
saying, The Lord commanded that cities should be given us. 
Then Joshua, and the people, gave them forty-eight cities in 
Canaan, where they should bring their wives and their children, 
and have their homes. 

Now the men of the two and a half tribes had stayed with 
the children of Israel ever since they crossed over Jordan, 
and had gone out to war with them against many heathen 












192 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


nations in Canaan. Therefore the men of Israel had given 
the men of the two and a half tribes, a share of the cattle, of 
the gold and silver, and of all the spoil which they had taken 
from those heathen nations. In this way the men of the two and 
a half tribes had gotten much riches. And now Joshua called 
these men to him and spoke kindly to them, saying, You have 
obeyed me in all that I said to you; for you have not left your 
brethren to go out to war alone, but have stayed with them and 
helped them many days. Now therefore take with you all the 
riches you have gotten, and go back to your homes on the other 
side Jordan. But be very careful after you shall come there, 
to obey all the commandments which Moses gave you, and to 
love and serve the Lord your God with all your heart and 
with all your soul. 

So Joshua sent the men of the two and a half tribes away, 
and they started to go back to their homes on the other side 
Jordan. But when they came to the bank of the river, they 
stopped and built a great altar, shaped like the altar of burnt 
offering at the tabernacle in Shiloh. Now, as we have read, 
God had commanded the children of Israel to offer up their 
sacrifices on no other altar but that which was at the taber¬ 
nacle. Therefore when the men of the other tribes heard what 
the men of the two and a half tribes had done, they were angry 
and gathered together to go out to war against them. 

But first they sent Phinehas, the high priest, and ten of the 
princes with him, to go to the men of the two and a half tribes 
and ask why they had done this thing. So Phinehas and the 
princes came and spoke to them, saying, All the men of Israel 
have sent us to ask why you have built another altar, to offer 
up sacrifices on, when the Lord has forbidden us to offer up 
sacrifices except on his altar at Shiloh? Do you not remem¬ 
ber how he sent a great plague upon us, when some of the 
people disobeyed him, and went to the idols’ feasts with the 
Midianites and the Moabites? Do you not remember, also, 
how he punished us when Achan, in the city of Jericho, took 
and hid the silver and gold which the Lord had commanded 
the people not to take ? Why then will you, too, disobey the 


THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 


193 


Lord, by offering up sacrifices on his altar that you have built ? 
For if you do so, he will not only punish you, but he will 
surely send his punishment upon us all. 

Then the men of the two and a half tribes answered Phine- 
has and the ten princes, saying, The Lord our God, the Lord 
our God, he knows that we do not mean to sin against him. 
And the men of Israel shall know it too, when they hear why 
we have built this altar. For we have not built it to offer up 
sacrifices on at all, but because we are afraid that after you and 
we are dead, and your children shall see our children living on 
the other side Jordan, they will say that our children do not 
belong to the tribes of Israel, and that they shall not come to 
worship in Shiloh. Therefore w r e have built this altar, so that 
our children may answer your children, saying, Look and see 
the pattern of the altar which our fathers built when they came 
here, how it is shaped like the altar at Shiloh. This proves that 
they belonged to the children of Israel, and that we have a right 
to come to Shiloh, and worship your God there. 

When Phinehas and the ten princes heard what the men of 
the two and a half tribes said, they went back and told it to the 
men of Israel. Then the men of Israel were glad, and they 
thanked the Lord, because their brethren of the two and a half 
tribes had not disobeyed him ; and they did not want any more 
to go out to war against them. 

After these things, Joshua spoke to the people, and said, that 
he was going to die. And he called them all to him, and told 
them how good the Lord had been to them, in driving out their 
enemies, and in giving them cities, and fields, and vineyards, and 
a land of their own to live in. He has done all this for you, 
Joshua said, now therefore fear the Lord and serve him. Yet 
if you will not serve him, then, you may choose for yourselves 
the idols that you would rather serve; but as for me and my 
family, we will serve the Lord. The people answered, God for¬ 
bid that we should leave the Lord to serve idols. For it was he 
who brought us up out of Egypt, and gave us this land; there¬ 
fore will we also serve the Lord, for he is our God. 

Then Joshua took a great stone, and set it up under an oak 
13 


194 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


that stood by the tabernacle in Shiloh. That stone, he said, 
should be for a witness, to remind them of the promise they 
had made there, to serve the Lord. When he had done talking 
with them, the people went away, every man to his own home. 

After this Joshua, the servant of the Lord, died, being a hun¬ 
dred and ten years old. And they buried him in the part of 
the land that had been given him for his own, on the side of the 
hill Gaash. The dead body of Joseph, which the children of 
Israel brought up out of Egypt, they buried at Shechem, which 
was the place where Joseph went to find his brethren, when his 
father sent him out to them, wearing his coat of many colors, 
nearly three hundred years before. 


THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


CHAPTERS I.-VIII. 


B. C. 1425-1209. 


THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WORSHIP IDOLS, AND ARE PUNISHED BY BEING 
MADE SERVANTS TO THEIR ENEMIES. GOD CHOOSES JUDGES TO RULE 
OVER THEM ; OTHNIEL, EHUD, SHAMGAR, DEBORAH, AND GIDEON. 

FTER Joshua was dead, the men of Israel went out to war 



•AjL against the heathen nations, as he had commanded; and 
the Lord helped them and gave them the victory. Yet they 
did not persevere until they had driven out all those nations 
from Canaan; they allowed some of them still to live in the 
land. And the Lord spoke to the children of Israel, saying, I 
brought you up out of Egypt into the land which I promised 
to give you, and I commanded you to destroy the idols of the 
nations that lived there, and never to make peace with those 
nations. But you have not obeyed me. Now, therefore, I will 
not any more drive them out from before you, but those that 
are left shall stay in the land, and they will tempt you to sin, 
and cause you great trouble. 

When the children of Israel heard these words they wept. 
Yet they soon forgot what the Lord had said, for they not only 
allowed many of the heathen to stay in Canaan, but they treated 
them as their friends. They even married among them; the 




THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


195 


men of Israel took heathen women for their wives, and the 
daughters of the Israelites married heathen men. Then the 
children of Israel began to worship the idols called Baal and 
Ashtaroth, that the people of Canaan worshipped. And the 
Lord was very angry with them, and sent enemies who fought 
against them and made them their servants. But when they 
repented, and asked the Lord for help, he heard them and gave 
them rulers called judges, who led them out to war against their 
enemies, and set them free. Yet as often as the Lord set them 
free, they forgot him and sinned again. So they went on sin¬ 
ning, and afterward repenting, for more than three hundred 
years. During that time fifteen judges ruled over them. 

The first was named Othniel; he was Caleb’s younger brother. 
He went out to war against the king of Mesopotamia, who had 
made the children of Israel his servants for eight years. And 
God gave Othniel and the men of Israel the victory, so that they 
had to serve the king of Mesopotamia no more. And they had 
rest from war for forty years. 

But after Othniel was dead, the people sinned again. Then 
the king of Moab brought an army against them, and made 
them his servants for eighteen years. And the people cried to 
the Lord for help, and the Lord made Ehud judge over them. 
He w T as a man of the tribe of Benjamin, and was left-handed. 
And the Lord sent Ehud to set them free from the king of Moab. 
So Ehud made a dagger, and hid it under his garment on his 
right thigh. And he came to the king of Moab’s house, while 
the king was sitting in his summer parlor. And Ehud said, 
I have a secret errand from God for thee, O king. And when 
all the servants had been sent out, and Ehud was left alone 
with the king, he put forth his left hand, and took the dagger 
from his right thigh and thrust it into the king’s body, and 
the king fell down dead. 

Then Ehud made haste to flee out of the house, and he shut 
the doors after him and locked them. Now the king’s servants 
did not know what Ehud had done. So when they came and 
saw that the doors were shut, they said to themselves, The king 
himself has shut them because he wishes to be alone ; and the 


196 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


servants did not open the doors. Yet after they had waited a 
long while, and saw that the king did not open them, they took 
a key and opened the doors; and behold their master was fallen 
down dead upon the floor. But Ehud, by this time, had fled far 
away, so that they could not take him. 

And Ehud went to mount Ephraim, in the land of Canaan, 
and blew a trumpet to call the men of Israel. When they came 
to him, he said, Follow me, for the Lord will give you the vic¬ 
tory. And they followed him to the river Jordan; there they 
fought with the men of Moab and slew ten thousand of them, 
who were all brave and strong soldiers; they let not a man 
escape. So the children of Israel were set free from the Moab¬ 
ites : and they had rest from war for eighty years. 

After Ehud, Shamgar was judge over the people. He fought 
against their enemies, the Philistines, and the Lord helped him, 
so that, by himself, alone, with nothing but an ox-goad in his 
hand, he slew six hundred men. 

And the children of Israel did evil again. Then the king of 
Canaan came against them, and made them his servants for 
twenty years. Now the Lord had chosen a woman to be judge 
over Israel at this time. Her name was Deborah ; she lived in 
a house that stood under a palm tree near Bethel. And Deb¬ 
orah sent for a man named Barak, and told him, that the Lord 
commanded him to take ten thousand of the men of Israel, and 
go to fight against Sisera, the captain of the king of Canaan’s 
army. But Barak was afraid, and answered, that he would not 
go unless Deborah went with him. Then Deborah said she 
would go, but that Barak should not have the praise of the 
victory, because a woman would put Sisera to death. 

And Barak took ten thousand men and went out against Sisera, 
and Deborah went with him. And Sisera gathered all the king 
of Canaan’s army together, his soldiers, and his war-chariots 
made of iron, nine hundred of them, and came to fight with the 
children of Israel. Then Deborah said to Barak, Up, for this 
is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into thy hand. 
So Barak, with his ten thousand men, fought against Sisera, and 
the Lord gave them the victory. And Barak followed after 


THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


197 


Sisera’s army, putting them to death with the sword ; but Sisera 
got down out of his chariot and fled away on his feet, that Barak 
might not take him. 

And he came to the tent of a woman named Jael, who was a 
friend to the children of Israel; and he said to her, Give me a 
little w T ater, for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk 
and gave him to drink. Then he said to her, Stand in the door 
of thy tent, and when any one comes and asks if there is a man 
here, say, No. And he went into her tent to hide, and lay down 
and slept. Then Jael took a great nail of the tent, that was used 
in fastening the side of the tent to the ground, and she went softly 
to Sisera while he was sleeping, and drove the nail into his fore¬ 
head, and he died there. Soon afterward Barak came by, seek¬ 
ing for Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him, and said to him, 
Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou art looking for. 
And she took him into the tent, and there Sisera lay dead. So 
the children of Israel were set free from the king of Canaan 
that day, but Barak had not the praise of the victory, because 
Sisera, the captain of the king’s army, was killed by the hand 
of a woman, as Deborah had said. 

After this the people had rest from war forty years. But 
when the forty years were ended, they did wickedly and dis¬ 
pleased God, and the Midianites came up against them and 
made them their servants and treated them very cruelly. For 
they drove the children of Israel from their cities, and their 
homes, so that they had to live in dens and caves in the moun¬ 
tains. The grain which they planted, after it was grown up, the 
Midianites destroyed, or carried aw ay, till there was nothing left 
for them to eat. They took their oxen, their goats, and their 
sheep also, and the people grew very poor, and were in great 
distress because the Midianites did these things to them. Then 
they cried to the Lord to help them, as they had done be¬ 
fore, but the Lord sent a prophet to tell them how wicked 
they had been. 

And there was a man of the children of Israel named Gideon 
who was threshing wheat one day, that he might hide it from the 
Midianites. And the Lord came, in the form of an angel, 


198 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


and spoke kindly to him. Then Gideon told the Lord of the 
troubles that had come on the children of Israel, because of 
the Midianites. The Lord said to him, Thou shalt set the 
children of Israel free from the Midianites. Gideon answered, 
O my Lord, how shall I set Israel free ? The Lord said, Surely 
I will be with thee, and thou shalt destroy their whole army, as 
if it were but one man. 

Then Gideon said to the Lord, Stay, I pray thee, until I can 
go and bring thee an offering. The Lord answered, I will stay 



THE LORD APPEARS TO GIDEON. 


till thou comest again. Then Gideon went and killed a kid and 
made it ready, and put the meat into a basket, and brought it 
out to him. And the Lord told him to lay it upon a rock that 
was there, and Gideon did so. And the Lord reached forth the 
end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh, 
and there rose up fire out of the rock and burnt up the offer¬ 
ing. And the Lord went away from Gideon’s sight. 

And the army of the Midianites came, and made their camp 
in the valley of Jezreel. Then Gideon blew a trumpet, and 








the book of judges. 


199 



called the children of Israel to go with him and fight against 
them. He sent messengers also through different parts of the 
land, and many of the people came. 

And Gideon asked the Lord to do a miracle for him, so that 
he might know the Lord would certainly help him, when he 
should go to fight against the Midianites. Gideon said he would 
take a fleece of wool, and leave it out on the ground all night. 
If, in the morning, it should have dew on it, and the ground all 


around it be dry, then he should know that the Lord would 
surely help him to set the children of Israel free. And Gideon 
took the fleece of wool and left it on the ground all night, as 
he had said. And he rose up early in the morning and went 
to it, and found it full of dew, so that he wringed the dew out 









200 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


of it with his hands, and filled a bowl with water; but the 
ground all around it was dry. 

And Gideon spoke to the Lord again, and prayed that he 
would not be angry if he asked him to do one thing more. 
Then he said he would put the fleece out another night, and 
asked that this time it might be dry, but the ground all around 
it wet with dew. And he left the fleece of wool out another 
night, and in the morning, when he looked, it was dry, no dew 
was on it, but the ground all around it was wet with dew. So 
Gideon knew by these miracles which the Lord had done for 
him, that the Lord would certainly help him, when he should 
go out to fight against the Midianites. 

Then Gideon and all the army of Israel, rose up early and 
came near to the camp of the Midianites. But the Lord spoke 
to Gideon, and told him, there were too many men in the army 
of Israel. For if such great numbers of them should go to the 
battle and gain the victory, they would say they had gained it 
by their own strength, and not that the Lord had gained it for 
them. And the Lord commanded Gideon to tell the men in his 
army, that all who felt afraid might go back to their homes. 
When Gideon told them this, twenty-two thousand went from 
the camp of Israel, and there were left ten thousand men. 

And the Lord spoke to Gideon again, saying, There are yet 
too many. Bring them down to the water, and I will shew thee 
there which of them shall go with thee to the battle. So Gideon 
brought them to the water. Now all the men were thirsty and 
began to drink. But they drank in different ways—some lifting 
the water in their hands to their mouths, and some stooping 
down and putting their mouths into the water. Then the Lord 
commanded Gideon to put those who drank out of their hands, 
apart, by themselves; and when he had done so there were three 
hundred of them. It was the Lord who made them drink in 
this way, so that they might be separated from the others; for 
now he told Gideon that only these three hundred men should 
go with him to the battle. 

That same night the Lord commanded Gideon to arise and go 
with his three hundred men against the Midianites; for, he said, 


THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


201 


he would give him the victory. But if Gideon were afraid to go 
with so few, then, the Lord told him, to go first with his servant, 
alone, near their camp, not to fight against them, but in the dark 
where they could not see him, that he might listen and hear what 
they said. And the Lord promised that after Gideon had done 
this, he should feel no more fear, but should be willing to go 
and fight against them. 



GIDEON FIGHTING AGAINST THE MIDIANITES. 

Now the Midianites lay along in the valley like grasshoppers 
—there were so many of them—and their camels no one could 
number. And Gideon went down with his servant alone, in the 
night, and came near to their camp, and heard two of them 
talking together. Qne was telling the other of a dream he had 
dreamed. He said, I saw in my dream a loaf of barley bread 
come tumbling into our camp, and it struck against a tent and 
threw it down, so that the tent lay flat upon the ground. And 
the man who heard him answered, saying, That loaf of bread 










202 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


means the sword of Gideon; for the Lord is going to give all 
our host into his hand. 

When Gideon heard this, he went back to the three hundred 
men, and told them to rise up and come, for the Lord would give 
them the victory, Then he set them in three different companies, 
and put a trumpet in every man’s hand, and a pitcher, with a 
lighted lamp inside of the pitcher. And he told them that 
when they should come near to the camp of the Midianites, they 
must look at him and do as he did. When he should blow with 
his trumpet, they must all blow, and cry out, The sword of the 
Lord and of Gideon. 

So he came with the three hundred men, near to the camp of 
the Midianites in the middle of the night. Then suddenly they 
all blew w 7 ith the trumpets, and broke the pitchers that were in 
their hands, and cried aloud, The sword of the Lord and of 
Gideon. When the Midianites heard the noise, and saw the 
burning lamps that had before been hidden in the pitchers, they 
cried out with fear and fled. For the Lord made them afraid 
of the men of Israel, and afraid of each other also, so that they 
fought among themselves all through their host. 

And Gideon followed them to the river Jordan, and passed 
over the river after the two kings of the Midianites, who fled 
before him with fifteen thousand men—all that were left of their 
great army. And Gideon and his three hundred men came up 
with them, and gained the victory over them, and took the two 
kings captives. So the Midianites were driven out of Canaan, 
and the children of Israel had to serve them no longer. 

Gideon was judge over the people forty years. God gave 
him many sons, and he lived to be an old man. And he died, 
and was buried in his father’s sepulchre. 


THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


203 


CHAPTERS VIII.-XII. 

B. C. 1209-1112. 

ABIMELECH IS MADE KING AT SHECHEM : HE IS SLAIN. TOLA AND JAIR 
ARE MADE JUDGES: AFTER THEM JEPHTHAH, IBZAN, ELON, AND 
ABDON. JEPHTHAH IS MADE CAPTAIN OVER THE ARMY OF ISRAEL. 
HIS VOW. HE FIGHTS AGAINST THE AMMONITES AND SETS THE 
PEOPLE FREE. 

A S soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel • forgot 
how kind the Lord had been to them, in setting them free 
from the Midianites, and they turned away from him, to 
worship the idol Baal. Then Abimelech, Gideon’s son, went 
to the city of Shechem, where the people had set up an im¬ 
age of Baal, and he asked them to make him their king; and 
they did as he asked them and made him their king. They 
gave him seventy pieces of silver also, out of their idol’s temple; 
with these he hired wicked men, to go with him and help 
him in making himself king over all the rest of the people. 
And he went to the house where his father Gideon had lived, 
and killed all of his brothers except the youngest, who fled from 
him. Abimelech did this, because he was afraid that his broth¬ 
ers might be made rulers over the people instead of himself. 
And the men of Shechem helped him in slaying his brethren. 

But after Abimelech had been king for three years, God sent 
trouble upon him and the people of Shechem. The Bible tells 
us that he sent an evil spirit between them. Then instead of 
being friends any longer, and helping each other, they became 
enemies and hated one another. And when Abimelech had 
gone away from the city, the people set men to watch for him, 
as he should come back, that they might kill him. 

But the governor of the city, who was Abimelech’s friend, 
sent word to him secretly, saying, The people of Shechem have 
rebelled against thee. Now therefore come up in the night, 
thou and the men who are with thee, and hide out in the field 
until morning. Then as soon as the sun has risen up, thou shalt 
bring thy men before the city, and when the people come out 
against thee, thou shalt do to them whatsoever thou thinkest 
best. So Abimelech did as the governor said. He brought his 
men up in the night, and hid them in the fields near the city. 


204 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


In the morning the people saw him and came out against him, 
and he fought with them, and chased them back to the gate of 
city, killing many of them. 

The next day they came out again. And Abimelech divided 
his men into three companies, and hid them in the field. As 
soon as the men of Shechem had come a good way from the gate 
of the city, one of the companies made haste to the gate and 
stood before it, so that the men of Shechem could not flee back 
into the city. And the two other companies ran upon them, 
out in the field, and slew them. Then Abimelech and his men 
went into the city, and fought against it all that day; and he 
slew the people, and broke down the houses and destroyed 
the city. 

But some of the men of Shechem who escaped, fled to the 
temple of their idol, and shut themselves in, where Abimelech 
could not reach them. Then he went up on a mountain, where 
wood was growing, and taking an axe in his hand, he cut down 
the branch of a tree, and laid it on his shoulder, saying to his 
men, Make haste, each of you, and do as I have done. So every 
man cut down a branch. Then they followed Abimelech to the 
idol’s house, and piled up the branches against the door and 
set them on fire. And the house was burned, and all the men 
who had shut themselves in there were burned up with it. 

And Abimelech went to another city named Thebez, and 
fought against it and took it. After it was taken, the men and 
women of the city fled into a strong tower, and shut to the 
door, and went up to the top of the tower. Then Abimelech 
came near the door to burn the tower, as he had burned the 
idol’s house in Shechem. But a woman who was on the top of 
the tower, threw down a piece of a mill-stone upon his head and 
broke his skull. When he saw that he must die, he called one 
of his young men and said to him, Draw thy sword and slay me, 
that the people may not say I was slain by a woman. For, be¬ 
cause Abimelech was a man of war, and soldier, he was ashamed 
to have it said that a woman had put him to death. Then the 
young man drew his sword, and thrust it through Abimelech’s 
body and killed him. So God brought punishment on him for 


THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


205 


slaying his brethren, and on the people of Shechem, also, for 
helping him to do that great sin. 

After Abimelech was dead, Tola, a man of the tribe of Issa- 
char, was judge over the children of Israel. The Bible tells us 
nothing about him, or about the things that he did, except that 
he was judge for twenty-three years; and that he died and 
'\ r as buried in the city of Shamir, on mount Ephraim, where 
his home had been. 


Then Jair, a man of Israel, who lived in the land of Gilead, 
where the two and a half tribes lived, was judge over the people 



DEATH OF ABIMELECH. 


for twenty-two years. He had thirty sons that rode on thirty 
colts, and each one of them was governor over a city in Gilead. 
And Jair died; and was buried in the city of Camon. 

And the children of Israel did evil again, for they turned 
away from serving the Lord to serve Baal and Ashtaroth, the 
idols their fathers had worshipped. Then the Philistines and the 




206 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Ammonites made war against them, and the Lord did not help 
the children of Israel. Therefore their enemies got the mastery 
over them, and made them their servants for eighteen years. 

In their trouble they cried to the Lord for help; but he an¬ 
swered that he had often before set them free from their ene¬ 
mies, yet afterward they had left him to serve their idols. Now, 
therefore, he said, they might go to the idols they had chosen, 
and ask them for help. But the children of Israel still cried 
to the Lord, confessing their sins, and telling him to punish 
them in any way he saw best; only they begged that he would 
set them free from the enemies who were then ruling over them. 
Then they put away the idols they had worshipped, and served 
the Lord again ; and he pitied them in their sufferings. 

And the Ammonites gathered together, and made their camp 
in the land of Gilead, on the other side of Jordan. The children 
of Israel had their camp at a place called Mizpeh; and they 
wanted a captain for their army, and said, Who is the man that 
will lead us out to fight against the Ammonites ? He shall be 
ruler over all the people of Gilead. 

Now there was a man of the children of Israel named Jeph- 
thah. He was a great and brave soldier, yet the men of Israel 
had been unkind to him, so that he fled from the land of Gilead, 
where his home was, and went to live in the land of Tob. But 
when the people wanted a man to lead them out to war against 
their enemies, they remembered Jephthah ; and the elders went 
to him in the land of Tob, and said, Come and be our captain, 
that we may fight against the Ammonites. Jephthah answered, 
Did you not hate me and send me away ? AVhy then are you 
come to me now, when you are in trouble ? The elders told 
him they had come that he should go with them to fight against 
the Ammonites, and be ruler over all the people of Gilead. 
Jephthah asked them, whether, if he should go, and the Lord 
should give him the victory, they would indeed make him ruler 
over all the people. And the elders promised, before the Lord, 
that they would. 

Then Jephthah went with them, and the people made him 
their captain. And he sent messengers to the king of the Am. 


THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


207 



monites, asking him why he had come to fight against the chil¬ 
dren of Israel. The king answered, that it was because they had 
taken away his land when they came up out of Egypt: Now 
therefore, the king said, give me back my land. But Jeph- 
thah sent messengers again, saying, that the land which they 
had taken, was given to them by the Lord, and that whatever 
land the Lord gave them they would keep for their own. The 
children of Israel had done no wrong to the Ammonites, Jeph- 
thah said, but the Ammonites did wrong to the children of 
Israel in making war against them. 

Yet the king of the Ammonites would not listen to his words. 
And Jephthah came, with the men of Israel, to the place where 
the Ammonites had their camp. And before the battle, he made 


JEPHTHAH MEETS HIS DAUGHTER. 

a vow, or promise, that if the Lord would give him the victory, 
he would offer up, as a burnt offering, whatever should come 
out of his door to meet him, when he went back to his own 
home. Jephthah did wrong in making such a vow, for he could 
not tell what might come out of his door to meet him ; yet he 














208 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


made this vow to the Lord. Afterward he went and fought 
against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave him the victory so 
that the children of Israel were set free from them. 

When the battle was over Jephthah returned to his home, 
and as he went toward his house, his daughter came out with 
music and dancing, to meet him, being full of joy at seeing her 
father, for she was his only child. But when he saw her he w T as 
greatly troubled, and rent his clothes, and told her of the vow he 
had made. Then she answered, My father, if thou hast made a 
vow to the Lord, do to me as thou hast said. But Jephthah 
should not have kept the vow which it was wrong in him to 
make. God had commanded the Israelites to offer up oxen, and 
goats, and lambs, as burnt offerings, not their children. The 
heathen nations offered their children to idols, and were punished 
for doing it. Jephthah should have repented of his vow, and 
asked forgiveness for making it. But the Bible tells us that he 
took his daughter, and did with her as he had promised; and all 
the young women of Israel mourned for her. Jephthah was 
judge over the people for six years; and he died and was buried 
in one of the cities of the land of Gilead. 

After Jephthah was dead, Ibzan was chosen judge, and he 
ruled over the people seven years. After him, Elon was judge 
for ten years; and after Elon died, Abdon was chosen judge for 
eight years. Of these three judges the Bible tells us very little, 
except how long they ruled, and that they died and were buried. 


CHAPTERS XIII.-XVI. 

B. C. 1101-1120. 

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SIN AGAIN AND ARE MADE SERVANTS TO 
THE PHILISTINES. SAMSON IS BORN. HE FIGHTS AGAINST THE 
PHILISTINES AND IS TAKEN CAPTIVE. HIS DEATH. 

A FTER these things, the children of Israel sinned again and 
displeased the Lord, and the Philistines came out against 
them and made them their servants for forty years. 

There was at that time a man of Israel named Manoah. Both 
he and his wife feared the Lord; and they had no child. And 
the angel of the Lord spoke to the woman, and told her they 



THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


209 


should have a son, and that he should be a Nazarite to God: 
this meant, that he should be set apart for God, to serve him. 
He was never to drink wine, and his parents were to let his hair 
grow without ever cutting it. Because persons who were Naza- 
rites drank no wine, neither did they cut their hair as others did, 
for so the Lord commanded them. And the angel said that 
Manoah’s son should be a Nazarite, and that he should be the 
one who would begin to set the children of Israel free from the 
Philistines. 

Then the woman came and told her husband that a man of 
God, or prophet, had spoken to her, for she did not know it was 
an angel. Yet, she said, his face was like the face of an angel, 
but I did not ask him from where he had come, neither did he 
tell me. When Manoah heard what his wife said, he prayed, 
saying, O Lord, let the man of God whom thou didst send, come 
again unto us, and teach us what we shall do to the child that 
shall be born. 

And the Lord heard Manoah’s prayer, and the angel came 
again to the woman as she sat in the field, but her husband was 
not with her. Then she made haste and ran to her husband, and 
told him that the man had come who came to her the other day. 
And he rose up and went with his wife, and when he came to 
the man, he said to him, Art thou the man of God that spoke 
to the woman ? He said, I am. And Manoah said, How shall 
we do to the child which thou hast promised us ? The angel 
answered, All that I commanded thy wife when I came to her 
before, let her be careful to obey. 

And Manoah begged the angel to stay till they should make 
ready some food for him; for they did not yet know that it was 
an angel. But the angel said, Though thou keep me, I will not 
e^t of thy food. And Manoah said, Tell us thy name, so that 
when what thou sayest shall come true, w 7 e may know whom to 
honor. The angel answered, Why askest thou after my name, 
seeing it is secret ? And Manoah took a kid and offered it upon 
a rock, as a burnt offering. Then the angel did a wonderful 
thing, for while the fire was burning on the rock, as the flame 
went up tow r ard heaven, the angel of the Lord went up in the 
14 


210 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


flame; and Manoah and his wife saw it, and they bowed down 
with their faces to the ground. 

And Manoah said, We have seen God : and he was afraid, for 
he believed that this angel was the Lord; the same that came to 
Gideon while he was threshing wheat, and told him he should 
set the children of Israel free from the Midianites. And Ma¬ 
noah said to his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen 
God. But his wife said to him, If the Lord had intended to 
kill us, he would not have allowed us to offer up the burnt offer¬ 
ing, nor told us that we should have a son. 

After these things, God gave to Manoah and his wife the son 
he had promised them, and they called his name Samson; and 
the child grew, and the Lord was kind to him and blessed him. 
When Samson was grown up, he went to a city called Timnath 
and saw there the daughter of a man who was a Philistine. 
And he was pleased with her, and came back to his home and 
said to his father and mother, I have seen a woman in Timnath 
who is the daughter of a Philistine. Now, therefore, get her 
for me, that she may be my wife. Then his father and mother 
asked him if there was not a woman among the children of 
Israel whom he would take for his wife, instead of this one, w r ho 
was the daughter of a Philistine; for the Philistines were ene¬ 
mies to the Israelites. But Samson was not willing to give 
her up: he said to his father, Get her for me, for she pleases 
me well. 

So his father and mother went with him to Timnath, and they 
came to the vineyards which were in that country. And a young 
lion met Samson and roared at him; and the Lord gave him 
strength to kill the lion as easily as if it had been a kid. He 
did this with his hands alone, for he had no sword or spear to 
fight the lion with. And Samson saw the young woman at 
Timnath and talked with her, and still she pleased him well. 

And he went to Timnath again, to marry her. On the w T ay 
he came to the place where he had killed the lion, and he turned 
aside to look at its dead body; a swarm of bees had come into 
it, and made honey there. And he took some of the honey in 
his hands, and as he -walked did eat of it. Afterward he gave 


THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


211 



some to his father and mother, but he did not tell them that he 
had taken it out of the dead body of the lion. 

And he made a feast at Timnath, for so the young men, when 
they were married, used to do. The feast lasted seven days, and 
thirty of the Philistines came to it. Then Samson said he would 
give them a riddle, that they might find out what it meant and 
tell him. If they should do so before the seven days of the 
feast were ended, he promised to give them thirty suits of rai- 


SAMSON KILLS THE LION. 

ment, or clothing. But if they could not find out his riddle, 
they were to give thirty suits to him. And the Philistines 
agreed to this, and asked him to tell them his riddle. 

So Samson told it to them, and these were the words of it: 
Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came 
forth sweetness. It meant, Out of the strong lion that was ready 
to eat Samson, Samson had taken sweet honey for himself to eat. 
But he did not tell the Philistines what it meant; and they 













212 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


tried, for three days, to find out for themselves, but could not. 
Then they were angry; and on the seventh day they came to 
his wife, and told her, that they would burn her, and her father’s 
house with fire, unless she helped them to find out the riddle. 

So she persuaded her husband to tell her, and wept before 
him, saying, that he did not love her, but hated her, because he 
had given the riddle to her friends, yet had not told her what it 
meant. But Samson answered, I have not told my father or my 
mother, and shall I tell thee ? Still, she wept before him all the 
time that was left of the feast, and at last he told her because 
she troubled him. When he had told her, she told the Philis¬ 
tines. Then they came to Samson on the seventh day, just 
before the end of the feast, and pretended they had themselves 
found out his riddle. They said, What is sweeter than honey, 
and what is stronger than a lion ? But Samson knew that his 
wife had told them. 

And now the time was come, when Samson should begin to 
punish the Philistines for their cruelty to the children of Israel. 
The Lord had said, that he was the one who should begin to set 
the children of Israel free. This was the reason why the Lord 
had made him so strong, that he could tear the young lion as if 
it had been a kid. And Samson went down to a city of the 
Philistines called Ashkelon; there he slew thirty men, and took 
from them thirty suits of raiment, which he brought and gave 
to those who had told him his riddle. Then he went back to his 
own home, but his wife stayed with her father in Timnath. 

At the time of wheat harvest, Samson came to Timnath to 
visit his wife, and to bring her a kid. But when he had come 
to the house, her father would not let him go in, and told him 
that she could be his wife no longer, for she was given to be the 
wife of another man. Then Samson was very angry, and he 
w 7 ent and caught three hundred foxes, and tied fire-brands, or 
pieces of blazing wood, to their tails, and let them loose in the 
fields and vineyards of the Philistines. And they set fire to the 
grain, so that it was burned up, both that wdiich had been cut 
and piled in shocks, and that which was still growing in the 
field. The grape-vines and the olive-trees were burned also. 


THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


213 


And the Philistines said, Who has done this ? When they knew 
that it was Samson, they took his wife and her father, and 
burned them with fire. And Samson fought against the Philis¬ 
tines, and slew many of them. Afterward he went on to the 
top of a rock called Etam, and stayed there. 

Then the Philistines came up to take him, and made their 
camp in the land of Israel. And the men of Israel said to 
them, Why are you come up against us ? They answered, To 
bind Samson, that we may do to him as he has done to us. 
And three thousand men of the children of Israel went to the 
top of the rock Etam, where Samson was, and said to him, 
Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us ? Why 
hast thou done these things ? Samson answered, Because they 
have done evil to me, I have done evil to them. Then the men 
of Israel told him they had come to bind him, that they might 
give him to the Philistines. Samson asked them whether they 
w r ould promise not to put him to death, if he should let them 
bind him. They answered, We will not put thee to death, but 
will bind thee fast and give thee to the Philistines. 

And Samson let them bind him with two new cords, and they 
took him to bring him to the Philistines’ camp. As he came 
near to it, the Philistines saw him and were glad, and they 
shouted against him. But the Lord gave him such strength, that 
he broke the cords off from him, as easily as if they had been 
burned by fire. And Samson found the jawbone of an ass, and 
took it in his hand, and with it fought against the Philistines 
and slew a thousand men. And he said, With the jawbone of 
an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a 
thousand men. Then he threw away the bone out of his hand. 
Afterward he was thirsty, and grew weak because he had no 
water to drink. And he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord 
opened a spring in that place, from which water flowed out, and 
when he had drunk of it, his strength came to him again. 

And he came to a city called Gaza, and went into a house 
there. Now the Philistines lived in Gaza, and when they heard 
that Samson had come, they shut the gates of the city, and 
watched by them all night, to take him as he should go out 


214 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


again. They said, In the morning we shall kill him. But in 
the middle of the night, he rose up and came to the gates, and 
when he found them shut, he dragged up the two posts to which 
the gates were fastened, and took the posts, and the two great 
gates, and the bar which went across them on the inside, to keep 



SAMSON CARRYING THIS GATES OF GAZA. 


them shut, and put them all upon his shoulders, and carried 
them a good way off to the top of a hill. 

We have read that Samson was a Nazarite, and that persons 
who were Nazarites were commanded not to cut their hair. Sam¬ 
son’s hair had never been cut, and had grown thick and long. 






THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 215 

And he was commanded never to cut it, because the Lord had 
chosen him to be a Nazarite as long as he lived. 

Now there was in that land a woman named Delilah, and 
Samson used to go to her house. When the lords of the Philis¬ 
tines knew of it, they came to her and promised to give her 
eleven hundred pieces of silver, if she would find out for them 
how they might bind Samson, and make him their captive, so 
that they could do with him as they pleased. Therefore, when 
Samson came to Delilah’s house, she begged him to tell her 
what made him so strong, and how he might be bound so that 
he would not be able to break loose again. 

Samson should have given her no answer to these questions. 
But instead of this he told her an untruth. He said that if he 
were bound with seven green withes—that is, cords made out of 
twigs, or thin branches of trees, twisted together—he would not 
be able to break them, but would be as helpless as any other 
man. Then Delilah told the lords of the Philistines, and they 
brought her seven green withes, and Samson let her bind him 
with them. Now she had men hidden in the room to take him, 
if he could not break them. So when she had bound him, she 
cried out, The Philistines are coming to take thee, Samson. She 
did this to try whether he could break the green withes or not. 
And as soon as she had spoken these words, he broke them as 
easily as if they were so many threads. 

Then Delilah said to him, that he had mocked her and told 
her lies, and she begged him again to tell her how he might be 
bound. Samson answered, that if he were bound with two new 
ropes which had never been used, he would not be able to break 
loose again. So she took two new ropes and bound him, having 
men hidden in the room this time also ; and after she had bound 
him, she cried as she did before, that the Philistines were com¬ 
ing to take him. But he broke the new ropes from off his arms 
as easily as he had broken the green withes. 

And Delilah told him again that he spoke lies to her, and 
she begged him to tell her how he might be bound. Samson 
said, that if she would weave, or plait, his long hair in a certain 
way, his great strength would go from him, so that they could do 


216 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


with him as they chose. Then she plaited his hair, and fastened 
it as he had told her, and she cried out again that the Philistines 
were coming to take him. But when he heard these words, he 
rose up and went away, as strong as ever. 

Then she said to him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when 
thou hast mocked me these three times ? And she begged him 
every day to tell her, and would let him have no rest, but trou¬ 
bled him with her words until at last he told her the truth. He 
said that he had been a Nazarite ever since he was born; that 
his hair had never been cut, and that if it were shaven off from 



SAMSON BOUND BY THE PHILISTINES. 

his head, he would be strong no longer, but as weak as other 
men. Why did Samson tell her this, and teach her how to take 
away the strength, which the Lord had given him that he might 
fight against the enemies of the children of Israel ? He did it 
because he had chosen a wicked woman for his friend, and, 

















THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 


217 


when she tempted him, he listened to her words until she per¬ 
suaded him to do this great sin against God. 

And now Delilah saw that he had not deceived her. And 
she sent word to the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come but 
once more, for this time he has told me the truth; and they 
came to her, and brought the money they had promised. Then, 
while Samson was asleep, she called a man to shave the hair 
from his head; and after it was done, she cried out that the Phil¬ 
istines were coming to take him. And he woke from his sleep, 
and said he would go out against them, as he used to do when 
she spoke these words to him before. He did not know that the 
Lord had taken away his great strength from him. Then the 
Philistines took him, for he could no longer fight against them, 
and they bound him with chains made of brass. And they put 
out his eyes, and shut him up in prison: there they made him 
work very hard, in turning a mill-stone to grind their corn. 

And now, while he was shut up in prison, no doubt Samson 
repented of his sin, and prayed to the Lord whose command he 
li ad disobeyed. And after a while, as his hair grew, the Lord gave 
him his strength again. But the Philistines did not know this. 

And the lords of the Philistines called the people together in 
their idol’s house, to offer up a sacrifice to their idol, whose name 
was Dagon, and to rejoice because Samson was taken. And the 
people came, and praised their idol, and said it was he who had 
helped them to take Samson and make him their captive; and 
they were all pleased and merry. Then they said, Send for 
Samson, that he may make sport for us. So they sent for him 
and brought poor, blind Samson out of the prison, and made 
sport of him, and set him between two pillars in the house of 
their idol. 

Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords 
of the Philistines were there. On the roof also were great num¬ 
bers of the people, who looked down to see Samson, while those 
who were in the house mocked him, and made sport of him, 
A boy held him by the hand, to lead him, because he could not 
see. And Samson asked the boy to let him feel the pillars 
which held up the house, that he might lean against them. And 


218 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



SAMSON IN PRISON. 




















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































THE BOOK OF RUTH . 


219 



the boy guided him, so that he could feel the pillars as he 
stood between them. 

Then Samson prayed, saying, O Lord, remember me, I pray 
thee, and give me strength only this once. And he put his arms 
around the pillars, one around one pillar and the other around 
the other pillar; and he said, Let me die with the Philistines. 
And he bent down and pulled the pillars together with all his 
might, till they were 
moved from their places, 
and the house fell upon 
the lords of the Phil¬ 
istines, and upon all 
the people, killing great 
numbers of them. And 
Samson died with them, 
but the Lord helped him, 
so that in his death, he 
slew more of the enemies 
of the children of Israel 
than he had slain in his 
life. And his brethren 
came and took his dead 
body and buried it in 
his father’s sepulchre. 

Samson was judge over the people for twenty years. 


SAMSON PULLING DOWN THE TEMPLE. 


THE BOOK OF RUTH. 

B. C. 1322-1312. 

ELIMELECH AND HIS FAMILY GO FROM BETHLEHEM INTO THE LAND 
OF MOAB. ELIMELECH AND HIS TWO SONS DIE THERE, AND NAOMI 
COMES BACK WITH RUTH TO BETHLEHEM. BOAZ MARRIES RUTH. 

I N the days when the judges ruled over Israel, there was a 
famine in Canaan. And a man of the children of Israel 
who lived in the city of Bethlehem, went to stay for a while in 
the land of Moab; he and his wife and their two sons. The 













































220 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name Naomi. After 
they had come into Moab, the man died, but his sons took wives 
of the women of Moab, and lived for about ten years. Then 
they died also, and their mother, Naomi, was left alone with her 
two daughters-in-law. 

And Naomi heard that the famine was over in Canaan, and 
that the Lord had given the people food again ; so she rose up to 
leave the land of Moab, and go back to the city of Bethlehem. 


NAOMI AND HER DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW. 

Then she spoke to her daughters-in-law, and asked if they 
would not rather stay in Moab, which was their own land, where 
they were born, and where their relations lived. 

When her daughters-in-law heard what she said, they were 
troubled and wept; and one of them, named Orpah, kissed 
Naomi, and bade her farewell, and went away to her own home; 
but the other, whose name was Ruth, would not leave her. Ruth 
told Naomi not to ask that she should leave her, or go back from 
following after her. Where thou goest, she said, I will go, and 
where thou livest, I will live; thy friends shall be my friends, 











THE BOOK OF RUTH. 


221 


and thy God, my God; where thou diest I will die, and there 
will I be buried. And Ruth asked the Lord to punish her, if 
she ever left Naomi as long as they both should live. When 
Naomi saw how much Ruth loved her, and wanted to go with 
her, she did not speak to her any more about staying in the 
land of Moab. 

And they came into Canaan, to the city of Bethlehem, where 
Naomi used to live. And the people remembered her, and all 
of them spoke about her coming, and said, Is this Naomi ? But 
she was very sorrowful, and answered, Call me not Naomi, which 
means pleasant; but call me Mara, which means bitter; be¬ 
cause the Lord has dealt very bitterly with me. She meant 
that the Lord had sent her great trouble. For when she went 
away from Bethlehem, so many years before, her husband and 
her two sons were with her; but now, when she came back, 
they were all dead. It was in the beginning of the barley 
harvest, while the people were cutting their grain, that Ruth 
and Naomi came to Bethlehem. 

And Naomi had a kinsman, or relation, at Bethlehem, named 
Boaz, who was a rich and great man. And Ruth said to Na¬ 
omi, Let me go now out to the field, and glean ears of corn. 
To glean in the field was to pick up the grain that the reapers 
had left. Only poor people gleaned, who had no fields of their 
own. It was not much they could gather, yet the men who 
were reaping always left a little for them, because the Lord 
had commanded the reapers not to take all away, but to leave 
a little for the poor. And Ruth and Naomi were poor. There¬ 
fore Ruth asked her mother-in-law to let her go and glean in 
some field where the man would give her permission to do it. 
And Naomi said to her, Go, my daughter. Then she went and 
happened to come into the field that belonged to Boaz, and 
there she gleaned after the reapers. 

And Boaz came out to the field and spoke to his reapers, and 
said to them, The Lord be with you. They answered him, The 
Lord bless thee. And he asked his chief servant, that was set 
over the reapers, Whose young woman is this ? The servant 
answered, It is the young woman that came with Naomi out 


222 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


of the land of Moab; she said to us, I pray you let me glean 
after the reapers; and we allowed her to do it. So she came into 
the field, and hath kept on gleaning from the morning until now. 

Then Boaz spoke kindly to Ruth, and told her not to go into 
any other man’s field, but to glean in his, for he had commanded 
his young men to do her no harm. When she was thirsty, he 
said, she should go to the pitchers which the young men had 
filled, and drink what she wanted. And Ruth bowed down to 



RUTH AND BOAZ. 


the ground before Boaz, and asked him why he was so kind 
as to take notice of her, who was only a stranger. But Boaz 
answered, that he had been told of all her kindness to her 
mother-in-law, and how she had left her father and her mother, 
and the land where she was born, and had come to live among 
the children of Israel. And he asked that God might reward 
her, because she had done these things; for in the land of Moab 
the people worshipped idols, but Ruth had left that land to 
come into Canaan and serve the Lord. 

And Boaz told her to come at meal-time, and eat and drink 

















THE BOOK OF RUTH. 


223 


with the reapers. So she did as he said; she sat beside them, 
and Boaz reached her parched corn, and she ate and had 
enough, and afterward went out in the field again. And Boaz 
commanded his young men to let her glean, even among the 
sheaves that they had bound up for him; he said, also, Let 
fall some handfuls on purpose for her, that she may take them, 
and do not find fault with her. 

So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out the 
grains of barley that she had gathered, and took them and 
went into Bethlehem. When her mother-in-law saw how much 
Kuth brought, she was glad, and asked the Lord to bless the 
man who had been so kind to her. And she asked her who the 
man was. Buth said, the man’s name is Boaz. Then Naomi 
told her that he was a near kinsman to them. And Ruth said 
he had asked her to come again into his field and glean after 
the reapers, and to do so until they had ended all of his harvest. 
Naomi told her to do as Boaz said. So she went out into his 
field, and gleaned there until the end of the barley harvest and 
of the wheat harvest. 

And Naomi said to Ruth, Boaz winnoweth barley to-night in 
the threshing floor. Barley is a grain something like wheat. 
To thresh it was to separate it from the long straw on which it 
grew. To winnow it was to separate it again from the small, 
broken pieces of straw, which were left mixed with it after the 
threshing. These pieces could not be picked out with the hands, 
there were too many of them ; but the reapers used to throw the 
grain and the small pieces of straw together, up in the air, while 
the wind was blowing. Then the wind would blow away the 
straw, because it was so light, but the grains of barley, being 
heavier, would fall down by themselves in a heap on the ground. 
The threshing floor was the smooth, level, piece of ground, where 
these things were done. Naomi had heard that Boaz was to 
winnow his barley that night, and she asked Ruth to wash and 
dress herself, and go to the threshing floor, and speak to Boaz 
the words which she told her. 

So Ruth did as her mother-in-law said. She washed and 
dressed herself, and went to the threshing floor: and Boaz win- 


224 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


nowed his barley, and then had a feast. And after he had eaten 
and drunk, and had enough, she came near to him, and spoke to 
him, saying, Thou art our near kinsman : and she asked him to 
be kind to her. He answered, May the Lord bless thee, my 
daughter. Then he told her not to fear; he would do for her 
all that she needed, because all the people of Bethlehem knew 
that she was a virtuous and good woman. And he said to her, 
Bring here thy veil and hold it out. And when she brought it, 
he poured into it six measures of barley. And Ruth carried 
it into Bethlehem, to Naomi, and told her of all that Boaz had 
done: saying, These six measures of barley he gave me, for he 
said, Go not away without taking something with thee for thy 
mother-in-law. Then Naomi told Ruth to wait and be patient, 
until she should see what else Boaz would do. 

We have read that the cities of Canaan had walls around 
them with gates. Now it was at the gates that the people used 
to meet together. Whoever came into the city, or went out of 
it, passed through them. That was the place where the rulers 
came to hold their court, and try those who had disobeyed the 
laws, and to say what their punishment must be. Persons also 
bought and sold things at the gate, making a kind of market 
there. So that when any man wanted all the people to know of 
something he was going to do, he would go and speak about it 
at the gate, because there he found more of them gathered 
together than anywhere else. 

The next day after Boaz had winnowed his barley, he went to 
the gate of Bethlehem, and sat down in a seat there. And he 
called to him ten of the elders, or principal men, of the city, and 
said to them, Sit down here; and they sat down. Then Boaz 
spoke to them, and to all the people, and told them that he was 
going to take Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Naomi, to be his 
wife. And he said to the elders, and to all the people, You are 
the witnesses: that is, you are the persons to whom I tell it, that 
you may know it yourselves and tell others also. And all the 
people and the elders answered, We are the witnesses. And they 
prayed that the Lord would bless Ruth, and make Boaz still 
richer and greater than he was then. 


THE BOOK OF JOB. 


225 


So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife. And Naomi was 
glad for her daughter-in-law, who had loved her, and come with 
her out of the land of Moab into Canaan, to live with the chil¬ 
dren of Israel and serve the Lord. And the Lord gave Boaz 
and Ruth a son, and Naomi took the child and laid it on her 
bosom, and nursed it for them. And they named the little boy 
Obed. 


THE BOOK OF JOB. 


B. C. 1520. 

job’s goodness and riches, afflictions are sent upon him. his 
friends’ unkindness, job complains of his sufferings, god 

SPEAKS TO HIM, AND GIVES HIM GREATER BLESSINGS THAN HE HAD 
BEFORE HE WAS AFFLICTED. 

T HERE was a man in the land of Uz named Job, who feared 
God, and was careful to do no evil. And God gave him 
seven sons and three daughters. He gave Job great riches 
also; for he had three thousand camels, seven thousand sheep, 
a thousand oxen, five hundred asses, and many men-servants 
and maid-servants, so that he was the greatest of all the men 
in that part of the world where he lived. 

And his sons, who were grown up, and had homes of their 
own, used to feast together, taking turns at each other’s houses, 
and inviting their three sisters to come and eat and drink with 
them. When their feasts were over, Job always sent and told 
them, if they had done anything wrong, to repent of it; then 
he offered up burnt offerings for each one of them, because he 
feared they might have sinned and displeased God. 

But after Job had enjoyed his blessings for many years, God 
sent trouble upon him, to try whether he; would bear it patiently, 
and be willing that his heavenly Father should do to him what 
he thought best. Therefore God allowed his riches and his 
children to be taken from him. For there came to him one 
day a messenger, saying, While thy oxen were ploughing in 
the field and thy asses were feeding beside them, a band of rob- 
15 




226 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



bers drove them all away, and slew thy servants who were with 
them, and I am the only one left to tell thee. 

While this servant was speaking, there came another, who 
said, A great fire has fallen from the sky and burnt up thy 
sheep, and the servants who were taking care of them, and I 


JOB RECEIVING EVIL TIDINGS. 


alone am left to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, another 
came, and said, Thy enemies have taken thy camels, and killed 
thy servants who were keeping them, and I only am left to tell 
thee. While he was speaking, there came also another, and 
said, Thy sons and thy daughters were feasting in their eldest 
brother’s house, and there came a great wind from the wilder¬ 
ness that broke down the house, and it fell on the young men 
and they are dead, and I only am left to tell thee. 

When Job heard these things, he rent his clothes and bowed 
down to the earth, and worshipped, saying, I had nothing of my 
own, when I was born as a little child into the world, and I 















THE BOOK OF JOB. 


227 


shall have nothing when I die and go out of it. It was God 
who gave me my children and my riches, and it is God who 
has taken them away again. He knows what is best for me, 
and I thank him for all he has done. So Job did not sin, nor 
speak wickedly of God, although his grief was so great and 
had come so suddenly upon him. 

After this, to try Job still more, God sent him sickness and 
pain. Sore boils came on him and covered him, from his feet 
to his head, and he sat down on the ground in great distress. 
Then his wife, being angry because God sent him such suffering, 
came to Job, and said, Dost thou still trust in God? Do so no 
more, but speak against him and wish him evil, for afflicting 
thee, even though he kill thee for doing it. Job answered her, 



JOB AND HIS THREE FRIENDS. 


Thou speakest like a foolish woman. After we have had so 
many good things from God, shall we not be willing to take 
evil things? In all this Job said nothing that was wrong. 

And he had three friends, who, when they heard of his trou¬ 
ble, came to talk with him and comfort him. But when they 








228 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


saw him, he was so changed that they did not know him. Then 
they rent their clothes and wept, and sat down on the ground 
near to him, but did not speak, because they could see that his 
grief was great. Now his friends thought his troubles had been 
sent upon him, on account of some evil that he had done. And 
after a while they spoke to him, and said, If thou hast done 
wickedly, do so no more. Thou must have sinned, in taking 
what did not belong to thee, or in being cruel to the poor, or in 
not praying to God; yet if thou wilt repent of thy sins, God 
will forgive thee and take thy sufferings away. 

But Job knew that he had not done the things which his 
friends accused him of, and he said to them, You came to com¬ 
fort me, but what you say does not comfort me at all. I would 
rather you should be still altogether, and let me alone. Did I 
send for you, or ask you to help me? If you were afflicted as 
I am, I also could say many things against you, and call you 
wicked. But instead of this I would speak kindly, and try to 
make your sorrow less. 

Then Job spoke of his sorrows, and said, The Lord has sent 
great troubles upon me. Oh that he would put me to death, that 
I might suffer no more. When I lie down at night, instead of 
resting in sleep, I toss upon my bed in pain and wish it was 
morning. Or, if I fall asleep for a little while, dreadful dreams 
frighten me, so that I would rather die than live. Oh that I 
had some one to speak to God for me, for he does not listen to 
my prayers. Yet I know that my Saviour is living, and that 
after many years he will come on the earth, and I shall rise up 
from my grave and see God for myself. 

But when Job saw that he could neither die, as he wanted to, 
nor be made well, but that he must still bear his pains, he grew 
impatient. He was willing to bear them for a little while, but 
not until God saw best to take them away. Then he began to 
find fault, and say, that his troubles were too great, and that 
God was cruel to him. And his three friends, instead of trying 
to encourage him, still told him that he must have offended God. 
His troubles were a punishment, they said, and God did not 
punish the good but the wicked, and therefore Job must have 


THE BOOK OF JOB. 


229 


done very wickedly. Then Job was displeased at them and an¬ 
swered them angrily, and they answered him angrily again. So 
they kept on, accusing one another and complaining against 
each other. After they had talked in this way for a long while, 
and had, each of them, said many things they ought not to have 
said, they heard a voice speaking out of a whirlwind that came 
by that place. It was the voice of God. 

And the voice spoke to Job, and told him of the wonderful 
works God had done; that it was he who had made the earth, 
the sea, and the sky. It is God, the voice said, who sends the 
rain on the fields, to make the grass and the flowers spring up. 
He covers the rivers with ice, and the ground with snow, and 
sends the lightning from the sky. He gives the wild beasts 
their food, and the young birds which cry to him when they 
are hungry. It is God who gave the beautiful wings to the pea¬ 
cock, and feathers to the ostrich. He made the horse that is so 
swift and strong, and that is not afraid in the time of war, when 
he hears the trumpets, and the shouting of the captains, but is 
eager to rush with them into the battle. He taught the eagle to 
build her nest on the high rocks, and to fly off and hunt food 
for her young ones. 

When God had told Job of all these wonderful works, he 
asked whether Job was able to do such things, or whether he 
was wise enough to teach God what he should do? Then Job 
saw how he had sinned in finding fault with God. He said, I 
am wicked, and have spoken of things that I do not under¬ 
stand ; therefore I repent of my sin, and bow down in the 
dust before thee. 

And God said to Job’s three friends, I am angry with you, 
for you have not spoken what is right to my servant Job, in his 
trouble. Now, therefore, lest I punish you, take seven bullocks 
and seven rams, and offer them up as a burnt offering, and ask 
Job to pray for you that you may be forgiven, for his prayer I 
will hear. So they did as the Lord commanded ; and Job prayed 
for them and they were forgiven. 

After this the Lord took away Job’s sickness. Then all his 
brothers, and sisters, and friends, came to him, and they had 


230 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


a feast in his house. And every man gave him a piece of 
money and an earring of gold. And now the Lord blessed Job 
more than he had done before he sent his troubles upon him, 
and gave him twice as great riches. For Job had fourteen thou¬ 
sand sheep, six thousand camels, two thousand oxen, and a thou- 



JOB IN PROSPERITY. 


sand asses. He had also, seven sons and three daughters; and 
in all the land there were no women so beautiful as the daugh¬ 
ters of Job. After these things he lived a hundred and forty 
years; and he died, being a very old man. 











THE BOOK OF JONAH. 


23 J 


THE BOOK OF JONAH. 


B. C. 802. 


JONAH FLEES FROM THE VOICE OF THE LORD. HE IS THROWN INTO 
THE SEA AND SWALLOWED BY A GREAT FISH WHICH CASTS HIM OUT 
ON THE DRY LAND. HE PREACHES TO THE NINEVITES. 


"VT INEVEH was one of the mightiest cities of the old times. 
-L' In it were temples, palaces, and houses for a great multi¬ 
tude of people; and beautiful gardens, also, and green fields, 
where cattle were fed. Around the city were walls a hundred 
feet high. These walls were so thick that on their top, three 
chariots, drawn by horses, might be driven side by side. And 
towers were built above the walls, all around the city. There 
were fifteen hundred towers, each one being two hundred feet 
high. On the top of the walls, and in the towers, the Assyrian 
soldiers stood, to shoot arrows and darts at their enemies when 
they came to fight against Nineveh. But Nineveh was a very 
wicked city. 

And God spoke to the prophet Jonah, saying, Arise and go 
to Nineveh, that great city, and tell the people of the punish¬ 
ment that is coming upon them for their sins. But Jonah did 
not want to go, and he fled to Joppa, a city by the sea. There 
he found a ship that was going to a far country, and Jonah paid 
his fare and went into it, that he might flee to some place where 
he would not hear the Lord speaking to him. 

But when he had sailed out on the sea, the Lord sent a strong 
wind and there was a great storm, and the ship was in danger 
of being broken to pieces. Then the sailors were afraid, and 
they prayed, each one to his idol, for help. They threw out, 
also, some of the loading of the ship, to lighten it and keep it 
from sinking. But Jonah did not know of the danger they were 
in, for he had gone down to the lower part of the ship, and lay 
there fast asleep. And the captain came to him and awaked 
him, saying, What meanest thou, O sleeper ? Kise up and pray 
to thy God; perhaps he may pity us, and save us from perishing. 

Then the men talked with one another, and said, Because 



232 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


some one in the ship has done wickedly, this storm is sent; and 
they said, Come, let us cast lots that we may find out for whose 
sake it is brought upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell on 
Jonah. Then they said to him, Tell us, what wicked thing hast 
thou done ? where is thy country ? and to what people dost thou 
belong ? Jonah answered, I am an Hebrew, and am fleeing from 
the Lord who made the sea and the dry land, that I may not 
hear his voice speaking to me. And the men were greatly afraid, 
and said, Why hast thou done this thing? And they asked 
Jonah, What shall we do to thee, that the sea may be still for 
us ? For the ship was tossed by the tempest. Jonah answered 
them, Take me up and cast me into the sea, so shall the sea be 
still for you, because I know that it is for my sake this danger 
has come upon you. 

Yet the men did not want to throw him into the sea, and they 
rowed hard to bring the ship to land, but could not. Then they 
prayed to the Lord, whom Jonah had told them of, and they 
cried out to him, saying, O Lord, we beseech thee, punish us not 
for casting this man into the sea, as if we were putting to death 
one who had done us no harm, for thou, O Lord, hast sent the 
storm, on his account. Then they took up Jonah and cast him 
into the sea, and the sea grew still and calm. And the men 
wondered; and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and prom¬ 
ised, after that, to serve him. 

Now the Lord had sent a great fish to the side of the ship, to 
swallow up Jonah as soon as he should be cast into the sea. 
And Jonah was in the fish three days and three nights. And 
he prayed to the Lord while he was in the fish ; he cried to God 
in his trouble, and confessed his sin, and God heard him, and 
commanded the fish to cast him out on the dry land. 

Then the Lord spoke to him again, the second time, and said, 
Rise up and go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to the 
people the w T ords that I shall tell thee. So Jonah arose and 
went. And he came into the middle of the city, as far as he 
could walk in one day, and there he cried out with a loud voice, 
and said, After forty days Nineveh shall be destroyed, for the 
sins of the people. 


THE BOOK OF JONAH. 233 



JONAH CAST INTO THE SEA. 







234 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


When the king of Nineveh, and the people, heard this, they 
believed that God had sent Jonah, and that the words he spoke 
would come true. And the king rose up from his throne, and 
took off his royal robes and put on sackcloth. And the king 
and his princes sent word through the city that all the people 



JONAH CAST OUT BY THE FISH. 


should fast. Let not man or beast, they said, eat any food or 
drink any water, but let them be covered with sackcloth, and let 
every one pray with all his heart and cease doing wickedly; for 
who can tell but the Lord may forgive us and take his great 
anger from us, so that we perish not ? And when God saw how 
they prayed to him, and ceased doing evil, he took away his 
anger from them and did not destroy the city. 

But Jonah was displeased at this. He wanted Nineveh to be 
destroyed, because the people who lived there w T ere enemies to 
the children of Israel. Jonah feared also being laughed at, and 
called a false prophet. Therefore he was angry and spoke wick¬ 
edly to the Lord, and said, I knew that thou wouldst not destroy 
the city, and therefore I fled the first time, that I might not 
hear thy voice speaking to me. And now, I beseech thee, O 
Lord, put me to death, for I would rather die than live. Yet 


















THE BOOK OF JONAH. 


235 



by the heat and fainted. And he was angry again and wished 
he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than live. 

And God said to him, Doest thou well to be angry? Jonah 
answered, Yes, I do well to be angry. Then God said, Thou art 
angry because I have destroyed the gourd, which was only a 
vine that grew up in a night and died in a night; and now 
wouldst thou have me to destroy Nineveh, that great city, where 
there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand little chil- 


the Lord spoke kindly to Jonah, and asked if it was well for 
him to be angry. 

And Jonah would not stay in Nineveh, but he went to a place 
outside of the city, and made a booth there, and sat down under 
it, by himself, to see whether the city would be destroyed or not. 
And the Lord caused a gourd, or vine, to grow up in one night 
over his booth; its thick leaves shaded his head, and Jonah 
was very glad for the gourd. But soon God sent a worm that 
gnawed at its root, and the next day it died. In the morning 
God sent a hot wind on Jonah, and the sun also beat upon his 
head, and as the gourd no longer shaded him, he was made sick 


JONAH UNDER HIS BOOTH. 











236 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


dren, so young that they cannot tell their right hands from their 
left ? So God taught Jonah how selfish and wicked he was, in 
wishing that Nineveh should be destroyed, because the people 
were not friends to the children of Israel, and because he feared 
being laughed at and called a false prophet. 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 

CHAPTERS I.-YI. 

B. C. 1171-1140. 

ELKANAH AND HANNAH SACRIFICE AT SHILOH : HANNAH PRAYS FOR A 
SON, AND SAMUEL IS GIVEN HER. SHE LEAVES HIM AT THE TABER¬ 
NACLE. THE LORD SPEAKS TO SAMUEL. THE PHILISTINES TAKE THE 
ARK, AND HOPHNI AND PHINEHAS ARE SLAIN. ELI DIES. THE ARK IS 
SENT BACK TO THE LAND OF ISRAEL. 

T HERE was a man of the children of Israel named Elkanah, 
who went every year from the city of Ramah, where he lived, 
to offer up a sacrifice at the tabernacle in Shiloh. And his 
wife, whose name was Hannah, went with him. Now Elka¬ 
nah loved his wife, and gave her a present whenever he went 
to offer up his sacrifice; yet she was unhappy, because the 
Lord had given her no child. 

And she came to the tabernacle and prayed, and made a vow 
to the Lord, that if he would give her a son, she would give that 
son back to him, and he should be a Nazarite, and set apart to 
serve the Lord all the days of his life. Eli was the high priest 
at that time. And Hannah came with her husband to Shiloh 
and prayed at the tabernacle, and wept while she prayed. 
And Eli saw her lips moving, but could not tell what she said, 
for she spoke softly so that her voice was not heard. 

Then Eli thought she was drunken, and muttering words to 
herself, and he said to her, How long wilt thou be drunken ? 
put away thy wine from thee. But Hannah answered, No, my 
lord, I am a woman in trouble. I have drunk neither wine nor 
strong drink, but have been praying with my heart to the Lord. 
Then Eli answered her kindly, and said, Go in peace, and may 
God give thee what thou dost ask him for. And Hannah was 




THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


237 



glad at the high priest’s words, and went away and looked sad 
no more. And she and her husband left Shiloh, and came to 
their home in the city of Eamah. 

And the Lord remembered Hannah’s prayer, and sent her a 
son, and she called his name Samuel, which means, Asked of 
God ; because she had asked God for him, and God gave him to 
her. After Samuel was born, the time came for his father to go 
to Shiloh again, and offer up his sacrifice as he did each year. 


HANNAH PRAYS AT THE TABERNACLE. 

But Hannah would not go; she said she would wait till the boy 
was weaned, and then would take him up, that he might stay 
there always. For she had given Samuel to the Lord, that he 
might live at the tabernacle and wait on the priests, and serve the 
Lord as long as he lived. And her husband told her to do as 
seemed right to her; so Hannah stayed at their home until her 
son was weaned. 

AVhen she had weaned him, she took him up to the tabernacle, 
and she and her husband offered a bullock as a sacrifice. And 































238 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


they brought the child to Eli, and Hannah spoke to Eli, saying, 
O my lord! I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying 
unto the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has given 
me what I asked him for. Therefore I have given the child 
back to the Lord; as long as he liveth, he shall be given to the 
Lord. And she left Samuel to stay with Eli at the tabernacle. 

And Eli had two sons, whose names were Hophni and Phine- 
has; they were priests at the tabernacle. Now the Lord had 
said that the priests should be holy, because they were his min¬ 
isters who offered up sacrifices to him ; but Hophni and Phinehas 
were not holy, they were wicked men. 

We have read that when any man offered up a peace offering, 
only a part of it was burned on the altar; the rest was given, 



HANNAH BRINGS SAMUEL TO ELI. 


some of it to the priest, for him to eat, and some of it to the man 
who brought the offering, for him to eat. But Hophni and 
Phinehas took more than their share of the peace offerings, and 
if any man were unwilling they should have so much, they would 
take it from him by force. Therefore the people did not care to 
























THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


239 


come any more to the tabernacle with their offerings, because of 
the wicked things which were done by Hophni and Phinehas. 

But Samuel, who w r as only a child, did what was right and 
pleased the Lord. And his mother made him a little coat, and 
brought it to him each year, when she came up with her husband 
to offer their sacrifice. And Eli spoke kindly to them, and asked 
that the Lord would bless them, because they had given Samuel 
to the Lord. So his parents came every year to Shiloh and wor¬ 
shipped, and afterward went away again to their own home; but 
Samuel stayed with Eli at the tabernacle. 

Now Eli was very old, and he heard of the evil things which 
his sons did, and he said to them, Why do you such things ? for 
he was grieved at their wickedness. Yet he did not punish them, 
nor put them away from being priests, as he ought to have done, 
but allowed them to go on in their sin. And there came a 
prophet to him with a message from the Lord. The Lord asked 
why he allowed his sons to take the best part of all the offerings 
that the people brought. Eli cared more to please his sons, the 
Lord said, than he did to please him; therefore the Lord de¬ 
clared, that he would not have Eli for his high priest, but would 
choose another man who should do his will, and both of Eli’s 
sons, the Lord said, should die in one day. 

And Samuel stayed at the tabernacle, doing as he was bidden 
by the high priest. And one night he lay down to sleep, and 
Eli lay down also. And Samuel heard a voice calling to him, 
and he answered, Here am I. Then he rose up and ran to Eli, 
and said that he had come because Eli called him, for he thought 
it was Eli’s voice. But Eli said, I called not, lie down again ; 
and he w r ent and lay down. 

And he heard the voice again, and arose and went to Eli, and 
said, Here I am, for thou calledst me. Eli answered, I called 
thee not, my son, lie down again. And Samuel heard the voice 
a third time, and went to Eli and said, Here I am, for thou didst 
call me. Then Eli knew that it was the Lord who had called 
the child; therefore he said to him, Go, lie down; and if he call 
thee, say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. 

So Samuel went and lay down. And the Lord came and called 


240 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


as before, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel answered, Speak, for 
thy servant heareth. Then the Lord told him, that he was going 
to do a thing which would make every one who should hear of 
it afraid; for he would punish Eli and his sons as he had said, 
because his sons had made themselves wicked, and Eli had not 
kept them from doing so; and though they should offer up sac¬ 
rifices and burnt offerings for their sins, he would not hear 
them, nor forgive them. 

When the Lord was done speaking, Samuel lay still until the 
morning; then he rose up and opened the doors of the taber¬ 
nacle. And he w r as afraid to tell Eli of what the Lord had said. 
But Eli called him, and asked, saying, What is the thing that 
the Lord hath said unto thee ? hide it not from me. God do so 
to thee (that is, God punish thee, too), if thou hide anything 
from me of all that the Lord has spoken. Then Samuel told 
him every word, and hid nothing from him. When Eli heard 
it, he said, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good; 
that is, It is my heavenly Father who has said he will punish me. 
I deserve it, let him do to me whatever he thinks best. 

And Samuel grew, and the Lord blessed him, and all the peo¬ 
ple knew that he was chosen to be a prophet. 

And the words which God spoke to Samuel came true; for the 
children of Israel went out to fight against the Philistines, and 
made their camp at a place called Ebenezer. The Philistines 
made their camp at Aphek, and they fought against the children 
of Israel, and slew of them about four thousand men. When 
the army of Israel came back to their camp after the battle, the 
elders asked why the Lord had allowed so many of them to be 
slain. Then they said to one another, Let us bring the ark out 
of the tabernacle to save us from our enemies. Perhaps they re¬ 
membered how it was carried around Jericho, when the children 
of Israel took that city. But the Lord had commanded them to 
carry it then; he did not command them to send for it now, and 
it was foolish to think that the ark could save them : the Lord 
alone could do that. 

Yet they sent to Shiloh for the ark, and the two sons of Eli, 
Hophni and Phinehas, came with it. When it was brought into 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


241 


the camp, the people were glad and shouted with a great shout, 
and the noise sounded far off on every side. And the Philistines 
heard it, and said, What meaneth the^ noise of this great shout in 
the camp of the Hebrews ? They were told that the ark had 
come into the camp; and they were afraid, and cried, Who shall 
save us ? Then they said to one another, Let us be strong, and 
fight like men, that we may not be servants to the Hebrews. 

And they fought again with the men of Israel, and slew thirty 
thousand of them ; they took the ark away from the Israelites, 
also, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. 
And there ran a man out of the army to Shiloh that same day; 



his clothes were rent, and he had put earth on his head to show 
his grief. Eli, the high priest, sat upon a seat by the way-side, 
watching; for he was afraid, since the ark had been carried to 
the battle, lest some evil might happen it, and he waited to hear 
what word should come. 

16 




























242 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


An ri the man came into the city, and told the people that the 
ark was taken, and they all cried out with fear. When Eli 
heard them, he said, What meaneth this noise among the people ? 
Now Eli was very old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could 
not see. And the man came in quickly to him, and said, I am 
he that fled to-day out of the army. Eli asked him what had 
happened there. The man answered, The men of Israel have 
fled from the Philistines, and a great many of them have been 
slain, and thy two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the 
ark of God is taken. When the man spoke of the ark, Eli fell 
off from his seat backward, down to the ground, and his neck 
broke, and he died ; for his grief was greater than he could bear, 
when he heard that the ark was taken. 

Eli was not only high priest, but he was judge also over the 
children of Israel forty years. 

And the Philistines took the ark and carried it to one of their 
cities, called Ashdod, where they had a house for their idol whose 
name was Dagon. And they brought the ark into the house of 
Dagon, and set it down by the idol and left it there all night. 
But when they rose early in the morning, and came into Dagon’s 
house, they found that the idol had fallen upon its face on the 
ground before the ark. Then they lifted it up, and set it in its 
place, and left the ark there another night. And when they 
came, early in the morning, Dagon was fallen down before the 
ark again; but this time his head and his hands were cut off, 
only his body was left. 

After that, there came a great sickness upon the people of 
Ashdod, and many of them died. Then they said to one another, 
The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us. They said 
this, because they believed it was God who had sent the sickness 
among them, and thrown down their idol. Therefore they called 
all the lords of the Philistines together, and spoke to them, say¬ 
ing, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel ? They 
answered, Let it be carried to Gath. Gath was another city of 
the Philistines. And they carried it to Gath, but there came a 
great sickness among the people of that city also. And the 
Philistines kept the ark for seven months, but during all that 



cart, and take two cows and tie them to it, but to bring their 
calves home from them. Then, they said, the people should lay 
the ark upon the cart, and send it away, letting the cows draw it 
wherever they chose, without any one to guide them. If the 
cows should go, of their own accord, away from their homes and 
from their calves, and take the ark into the land of Israel, the 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 243 

time the Lord sent great trouble upon them. Then they called 
for their wise men, and asked how they should send it back to 
the land of Israel, for they were afraid to keep it any longer. 

Now in that country cows were used for drawing carts, as oxen 
are here. And the wise men told the Philistines to make a new 














nn' span) nr rnr in nut 





v» mi men -aid it would show that the Lord made them go there; 
and that he w angry with the Philistines for keeping the ark, 
and had sent all their troubles, as a punishment, upon them. 
But if the et>\va should not take the ark to the land of Israel, 
then it would show that the Lord did not want it sent back, and 
that he had not punished the Philist ines for keeping it, but that 
their troubles had eomo by chance upon them. 

And the Philistines did as their wise men said. They took 
two cows and tied them to a new cart, but shut up their calves 
at home. Then they laid the ark on t he cart and let the cows 

loose, to go where- 
ever they chose. 

v r 

—the lords of the 
Philistines follow¬ 
ing after them to 
see which wav they 

v %r 

would go. And 

as soon as the eowa 

were let loose they 

went straight into 

the land of Israel, 

lowing as they 

went, anti they 
% 

came to a oitv 
% r 

called Beth-she- 
mesh. The children 
of Israel who lived 
there, wore reap¬ 
ing their wheat 
harvest in the val¬ 
ley near to the oitv 
<xms p*awu» thk akk. And thov lookixl 


up and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 

And the cows brought it into the held of a man named Joshua, 
and stood still beside a great stone that was there. Then >omo 
men of the tribe of Levi came, and took the ark down from the 
cart and laid it on the stone. And they broke up the cavt tov 














TEE FIRST ROUE OF SAMTUEL 


wood, and killed the eow* far a bimn aSernm sni afkrei itrsn 
to the Lard. The Levites toon the ark dam. from tne can Tr- 
caiist.. as we have read, the Lore. nac cnosn t< t_ - --- «are 
of it, and of all the tninss in the taoemauie ZEf tir- h±el m arr 
other tribe should come near xx those sarred tnii^s. God sain thr 
most he pot xc death. Bur the mer of LetL-rsirEm&EL die . -^ra 
God: they wanted tt see the ark and Xhev sane u it frr.T 
looked into it. and many a? then, died far then -sin 

Then the ark was taken n tne err" co T 7 r , nirt 7 - - ^r > Trr n-m tne 
house of £ mar onrit^r nmhfiar. anr was ±Ex. TJx3h fan T~;gr rr 
vears. 


C^ATTEEr TH-XZL 

^ C.M-1BE. 

fioffm s .TCKa ovm rmr ssr mca& ts t -tthsuzsiz. 

tut ipeofu ass: yea. *. tiKfe ^ ttt s^~ ^ iwtezs: 
usE-siLEii nun: tut ^inroN rufc -j^riTTg: t?tt 

or t±aii 11 . %V-ii.:*.Ki?saafc- XF 3 ! ta at 1..' 

4 I TKl* TT was dead the Lord mark Game.- nm^ ove: tr 
-T nenniE. Tie lived it tne sept xr larra’ witer- ns isir~ 
THkanah. and hs mccner. rtaTTna:. nan Iiwsd- Te raws -rear 
that after the n.i»emaek was imssiren anr toe erk ts ntr mo 
it. ewerr that anianr tne rhiirrrg r xr jssl wts 'jznmamhee o 
hrrnr hs sarrihrf them Ins: ties pass nmrrr aftr i e it 
him on ihe ahsr of mmn nirermr. Tin: a: tne tne me nor 
readme: shout, the ark was no: in tne terapmarh hr Xnt pecmfe 
had never hrimgkt r hats: tr r^iitoh as Xnoy petit n raw- bobs. 
and we are nor told trar the mss sarren tnsie ar<~ tmire* 
m ofier m> saurmss. Then hamne^ milk an atur a: Tarr- r. 
where he iiwsd. anr nftfnsd m sermss :.rrrste-H 

And the miinren of jsad sinned aram for th*- nrEsrinuten 
the idols T ^as amr ^sinarnu. TTr ho the T^niisnirs- tat Tar 
upon men. And ramie- snosr xz tnem *ranr: Jr win wil psr 
awsrr yonr inns and serve tne T/on he wil sets war irean tie 
Phihsimes And tne peophoh?wn ramitn ant D^aait n Trrem 
Gome hi af yon xr tne scy of Mmsen and I wil yrry- ±<r wm 
Them the^ same xr Uliznen ant trtem tie^ '.-anEsgen titer wirt- 
san&fc anr. sain TGt smnen armies' tre Tm . 





























246 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


When the Philistines heard that the people were at Mizpeh, 
they went up to fight against them. And the men of Israel were 
afraid; they said to Samuel, Cease not to pray to the Lord our 
God for us, that he may save us. And Samuel took a young 
lamb and offered it up as a burnt offering; and he prayed to the 
Lord for the people, and the Lord heard him. While Samuel 
was offering up the lamb, the Philistines came near to battle. 
But the Lord sent a great storm of thunder and lightning upon 
them, that made them flee away in fear. Then the men of 
Israel came out of Mizpeh and chased them, killing many of 
them. So the Lord gave the men of Israel the victory. And 
Samuel set up a stone at the place where the Lord helped them, 
and called it Ebenezer, which means, The stone of help. 

When he was grown old, Samuel made his two sons judges, 
that they might help him in ruling over the land. But they 
did not rule justly, as their father had done. For if two of the 
people disputed about anything, and came to them to decide 
which was right and which was wrong, they would say that the 
one was right who paid them for saying so. This was taking a 
bribe; and they took bribes from the people, allowing any one 
to do wrong who would pay them money for it. 

And all the elders of Israel came to Samuel, at Ramah, and 
told him that he was now old, and that his sons did wickedly; 
and they asked him to choose for them a king, that they might 
be like the other nations around them. It was right in them to 
tell Samuel that his sons did wickedly, but it was wrong in them 
to ask for a king, because the Lord was their king, and Samuel 
was the judge whom he had set over them. Samuel was dis¬ 
pleased when they asked him to choose a king, and he prayed to 
the Lord, that the Lord might tell him what he should do. Then 
the Lord said it was not Samuel whom the children of Israel 
wanted to put away, but it was the Lord, himself, whom they 
wanted to put away from ruling over them. 

Yet the Lord commanded Samuel to tell them what their king 
would do to them, and how cruelly he would treat them, if they 
should have a king like the other nations. And Samuel did so. 
He told the men of Israel that the king would take their sons to 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


247 


be drivers of his chariots, and workmen in his fields, and their 
daughters to be cooks and bakers in his kitchen. He would 
take the best of their lands and of their vineyards, and give them 
to whomever he pleased. Their cattle and their sheep he would 
take away also ; and they would cry. out, Samuel said, in that day 
for the trouble their king had brought upon them, but the Lord 
would not hear them. Yet the people said, We will have a king 
like all the other nations, that he may rule over us, and go out 
with us to fight our battles. Then the Lord commanded Samuel 
to do as they asked, and choose them a king. 

Now there was a man of the children of Israel named Kish, 
who had a son called Saul. The Bible tells us that Saul was a 
goodly young man; that is, he was well formed and handsome to 
look at: he was taller also, than any of the rest of the people. And 
the asses that belonged to Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And 
Kish said to Saul, Take one of the servants with thee, and arise, 
go look for the asses. Then Saul took a servant and went to 
look for them: but after he had gone a long way and could not 
find them, Saul said to the servant, Come, let us go back, lest 
my father stop caring for the asses and be troubled about us. 

But by this time they had come near to a city of that land, 
and the servant told Saul there was in the city, a prophet whose 
words always came true. The servant meant Samuel. And he 
said, Let us go and ask him; perhaps he can tell us which way 
we shall look for the asses. Saul answered, Thy word is good: 
come let us go. Now there was to be a peace offering that day 
in the city, and the people were to have a feast upon the part of 
it which was not burned on the altar. As Saul and his ser¬ 
vant went up the hill to the city, they met young maidens going 
out to draw water, and they asked them if the prophet were 
there. The maidens answered, Yes; he came to-day, for there 
is to be a feast of the people. As soon as you come into the 
city you shall find him. And when they had come into the 
city, Samuel met them. 

Now the Lord had told Samuel he would send to him that 
day, the man who should be king over Israel. And when 
Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, This is the man I spoke 


248 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


to thee of. But Saul did not know Samuel, and he went to him 
and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the prophet’s house is. 
Samuel answered, I am the prophet. Then he told Saul to 
bring his servant and come to the feast, and stay there that 
day; on the morrow, Samuel said, Saul should go on his jour¬ 
ney. And as for the asses that had been lost, he need think of 
them no more, for his father had found them. 

Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them 
into the parlor, and made them sit in the best place, among 
those who were invited to the feast. And Samuel told the cook 
to bring the food which he had bidden him save; and the cook 
brought it and set it before Saul, and Samuel told Saul to eat 
of it, because it had been saved for him. So Saul stayed with 
Samuel that day. 

The next morning, very early, they rose up, and Samuel took 



SAUL ANOINTED BY SAMUEL. 


Saul on to the roof of the house, where they would be alone, and 
there he talked with him; afterward he went with him toward 
the gate of the city. And as they were walking together, he 
said to Saul, Bid thy servant go on before us, but stand thou 
still, that I may show thee what the Lord has commanded me 
to do. When the servant had gone on before, Samuel took a 






THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


249 


bottle of oil and poured it upon Saul’s head, and anointed him. 
We have read that Moses anointed Aaron when he was made 
high priest; so they used to do to the one who was made king. 
And now Samuel anointed Saul that he might be king over the 
children of Israel, because the Lord had commanded him to do 
it. But no one knew of it except Saul and Samuel, for the Lord 
did not mean to let the people know of it, until he should choose 
Saul again, before them all, for their king. 

After these things, Samuel spoke to the people, and told them 
that the Lord said he had brought them up out of Egypt, and 
set them free from their enemies, yet they would not have him 
to rule over them, but asked for a king. Then Samuel com¬ 
manded them to come to the city of Mizpeh, that they might 
have a king set over them. And they came to Mizpeh, and 
there the Lord chose, from among them all, Saul to be king 
over Israel. But when the people looked for him they could 
not find him. Therefore they asked the Lord where he was, 
and whether he would come to be their king. The Lord an¬ 
swered, He hath hidden himself among the stuff. 

And the people ran and brought him out, and as he stood 
among them, he was higher than any of them, from his shoul¬ 
ders and upward. Samuel said to them, See the man whom the 
Lord hath chosen ; there is none like him among all the people. 
And they all shouted and said, God save the king. Then Sam¬ 
uel told them about the kingdom, and how Saul should rule 
over them, and he wrote it down in a book. Afterward he sent 
them away, every man to his own home. Saul also went to his 
home in the city of Gibeah. 

After this the Ammonites came up to fight against the city 
of Jabesh-gilead. And the men of Israel who lived there, were 
afraid, and promised that if the Ammonites would treat them 
kindly, they would be their servants. But the Ammonites 
would not; they said they would take every man and put out 
his right eye, and afterward would boast of having done it to 
all the rest of the people. When the men of Jabesh-gilead 
heard this, they asked the Ammonites to give them seven days, 
that they might send massengers to their brethren in other parts 


250 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


of the land. If, by that time, no one should come to help them, 
they promised to go out of the city and let the Ammonites do 
to them as they pleased. 

Then they sent messengers to Gibeah, where Saul lived, and 
the messengers told the people what the Ammonites said; and 
the people wept when they heard it. While they were weeping, 
Saul came in with a herd of cattle from the field ; and he asked, 
saying, What aileth the people, that they weep ? And they re¬ 
peated to him the words that the messengers had spoken. Then 
Saul took two oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent the pieces 
through all the land of Israel, saying to the people, Whoever 
does not come to fight against the Ammonites, so shall it be 
done to his oxen. When the people heard these words, there 
came to Saul more than three hundred thousand men. Early 
the next morning he led them out against the Ammonites, and 
they fought with them and slew them, until the middle of the 
day. Those that were not slain, fled and were scattered, so that 
no two of them were left together; and the children of Israel 
rejoiced over their victory. 

After these things, Samuel spoke to the people and said, I 
have made you a king as you asked me, and your king is before 
you. And now I am old and gray-headed. I have been with 
you from my childhood to this day, and you know T of all that 
I have done. Tell me then, whether, since I have been judge 
over you, I have ever taken away any man’s ox, or his ass, or 
anything that belonged to another ? or whether I have been un¬ 
just, or cruel, to any man, or taken a bribe, and allowed the 
person who gave it to do wrong? For if I have done any of 
these things, I will now give back what does not belong to me. 
The people answered, Thou hast never been unjust to us, nor 
taken a bribe, or what did not belong to thee. 

Then Samuel told them they had done wickedly in asking for 
a king, because the Lord was their king, and they should have 
wanted no other. And he said to the people, Stand still, and 
see what the Lord will do before your eyes. Is not this the 
time of wheat harvest, when we do not have rain ? But I will 
call to the Lord, and he shall send a great storm of thunder 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


251 


and rain, to make you feel how much you have offended him. 
So Samuel called unto the Lord, and he sent thunder and rain 
that day, until all the people greatly feared the Lord and Sam¬ 
uel. And they begged Samuel to pray for them, that they 
might not be put to death. 

Then Samuel spoke kindly to them, and told them not to fear. 
They had sinned, he said, yet if they would obey the Lord, the 
Lord would forgive them and take care of them, because he had 
chosen them for his people. But if, instead of obeying him, 
they still should do wickedly, they would be destroyed, both 
they and their king. 


CHAPTERS XIII.-XVI. 

B. C. 1093-1063. 


THE PHILISTINES BRING AN ARMY AGAINST ISRAEL. SAUL DISOBEYS THE 
LORD AT GILGAL. THE MEN OF ISRAEL GAIN A VICTORY OVER THE 
PHILISTINES. SAUL BEING SENT AGAINST THE AMALEKITES AGAIN 
DISOBEYS THE LORD. THE LORD SENDS SAMUEL TO BETHLEHEM TO 
ANOINT DAVID. 


A FTER Saul had been king two years, he chose three 
thousand men for soldiers. Saul himself was captain 
over two thousand of them, and his son Jonathan was captain 
over the other thousand. And Jonathan fought against some 
Philistines, who had come into the land of Israel. Then the 
Philistines gathered a great army, and came up with thousands 
of chariots and horsemen, and with so many soldiers that they 
could not be counted. When the people saw what a great host 
had come against them, they were afraid, and hid in caves, and 
thick bushes, among the rocks, and on the mountains, and in pits 
in the earth. Some of them fled over Jordan, into the land of 
Gilead, where the two and a half tribes lived. The few who were 
left, followed after Saul their king, but they trembled with fear. 

And Saul came to Gilgal, for Samuel had promised to meet 
him there, and had commanded him to wait till he should come, 
that Samuel might offer up burnt offerings and peace offerings, 
and afterward tell Saul what he should do. And Saul waited 
seven days; then, when Samuel came not, he grew impatient and 
said, Bring here a burnt offering to me; and he offered up the 



252 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


burnt offering himself. As soon as he had done it, Samuel came, 
and Saul went out to meet him. And Samuel said, What hast 
thou done ? Then Saul began to make excuse for offering up 
the sacrifice, and said that he was afraid to wait any longer, 
lest the Philistines should come against him. But Samuel said 
that he had done wickedly and disobeyed the Lord, and there¬ 
fore the Lord would put him away from being king, and would 
choose another man in his place. Samuel did not mean that 
Saul would be put away at once; but that the Lord had deter¬ 
mined to do it some time, and that it was as certain to be done 
as if it were done that very day. 

And Saul numbered the people who were with him, and found 
there were about six hundred men; and he and Jonathan came 
to the city of Gibeah, but the Philistines were at Michmash. 
Now the Philistines had for a long time made the children of 
Israel their servants; neither would they let the men of Israel 
have swords, or spears, for fear they might rise up and fight 
against them. And the Philistines had sent all the smiths out 
of the land, lest they should make these things for the people. 
So when the day for the battle came, it was found that among 
the children of Israel no man had either a sword, or a spear, 
except Saul and Jonathan. 

In those days soldiers wore armor made of iron, or brass. 
They carried shields also, made of strong boards covered w ith 
the skins of oxen. These they held up before them while they 
were in battle, that the arrows and darts of their enemies might 
not wound them. Jonathan, Saul’s son, w T ore armor, and he 
had a soldier to carry his shield and spear for him, when he did 
not w r ant to use them. This soldier was called his armor-bearer. 

Now the Philistines had their camp near to the camp of the 
children of Israel. And Jonathan asked his armor-bearer to go 
with him over to the camp of the Philistines. For, he said, the 
Lord might help them, even Jonathan and his armor-bearer 
alone, to fight against all their great army; because the Lord 
could give the victory to whomever he chose, either to many or 
to few. And the armor-bearer said he would go. Then Jona¬ 
than told him, that this was the way they would know whether 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


253 



the Lord intended to help them, or not. They would go and 
stand where the Philistines could see them; if the Philistines 
should call out to them and tell them to wait, then, Jonathan 
said, they w r ould go no further, for the Lord was not going to 
help them. But if the Philistines should say, Come up to us, 
they would go up; for the Lord would give them the victory. 

And Jonathan and his armor-bearer went and stood at a place 
where the Philistines could see them. And the Philistines 
made sport of them, and said, See, the Hebrews are coming out 
of the holes where they were hidden: and they called out, Come 
up to us, and we will show you something. When Jonathan 
heard them say this, he told his armor-bearer to come, for the 
Lord would give the chil¬ 
dren of Israel the victory. 

Then Jonathan climbed 
up over the rocks, on his 
hands and feet, to reach 
the Philistines’ camp, and 
his armor-bearer climbed 
after him. When they 
came to it, they fought 
with them and slew about 
twenty men. And the 
Lord made the earth shake 
under them, so that all the 
host of the Philistines were 
afraid and trembled. 

Now Saul and the men 
who were with him, did 
not know what Jonathan 
had done; but Saul’s watchman looked out toward the camp of 
the Philistines, and saw fighting there, and he told Saul of it. 
Then Saul counted over all his men, that he might know which 
of them had gone against the Philistines; and when he counted 
them, he found that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were miss¬ 
ing. And Saul and his men went over to join in the battle. 
Many of those also, who before had been afraid, and hidden in 


JONATHAN AND HIS ARMOR-BEARER ATTACK 
THE PHILISTINES. 








254 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


the mountains, came after them; and the Lord helped the chil¬ 
dren of Israel, and the Philistines fled from them. Yet the men 
of Israel suffered on that day, for Saul commanded that no 
man should eat any food until the evening, because he wanted 
them to go on pursuing their enemies. So none of the people 
tasted of any food. 

And they came to a wood where honey was dropping on the 
ground from a nest in the trees where the wild bees had made 
it, and the men were hungry, yet they were afraid to eat. But 
Jonathan did not know what his father had said, and he reached 
out the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it into 
the honey-comb, and put the honey to his mouth. When Saul 
heard of it, he said, Thou shalt surely die, Jonathan; for he 
was angry, and would have slain Jonathan, because he had 
disobeyed his command. But the people asked, saying, Shall 
Jonathan die, who has caused us to gain this great victory ? 
And they said that no harm should be done to him. So they 
saved Jonathan from being put to death. 

After this, Samuel told Saul that the Lord remembered the 
wickedness of the Amalekites, in making war against the chil¬ 
dren of Israel when they came out of Egypt, although the Israel¬ 
ites had done them no harm. And now, Samuel said, the Lord 
commanded Saul to go out against the Amalekites, and destroy 
them, and their cattle, and save nothing of theirs alive. And 
Saul gathered a great army of more than two hundred thousand 
men, and fought with the Amalekites, and overcame them and 
slew the people, but their king he let live. And the best of their 
sheep, of their oxen, of their lambs, and all that was good, Saul 
and the men of Israel saved alive; but what was poor and worth 
nothing, they put to death. And the Lord was displeased with 
Saul, and he said to Samuel, I repent of having made Saul king, 
for he has not obeyed my commandments. 

After the battle, Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, 
I have done as the Lord commanded me. But Samuel heard the 
bleating of the sheep, and the lowing of the oxen, which Saul had 
taken from the Amalekites, and he said, What meaneth, then, 
this bleating of the sheep, and the lowing of the oxen, which I 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


255 


hear ? Then Saul began to make excuse and say, that the peo¬ 
ple had saved them alive to offer them up as sacrifices to the 
Lord. But Samuel asked Saul whether the Lord was better 
pleased to have sacrifices offered up to him, than he was to have 
his commands obeyed. It was better to obey than to offer up 
sacrifices, Samuel said. For to go on doing what the Lord had 
commanded them not to do, was as wicked as to worship idols. 



DAVID PLAYING THE HARP IN THE JBTELD. 

Then Samuel told Saul again, that because he had disobeyed the 
Lord, the Lord would put him away from being king. 

And God told Samuel that he should go to the city of Beth¬ 
lehem, to a man named Jesse, and should anoint one of Jesse’s 
sons to be king. But Samuel answered, How can I go ? for if 
Saul hear of it he will kill me. Then the Lord said, that Samuel 
should take an heifer to offer up as a sacrifice there, and should 














256 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


ask Jesse to come to the sacrifice. Afterward, the Lord told 
him, he would show him what he should do. And Samuel did 
as he was commanded. He came to Bethlehem and made ready 
his sacrifice, and invited Jesse and his sons to come to it. When 
they came, Samuel thought that Jesse’s oldest son was the one 
whom the Lord had chosen for king. But the Lord told him 
he was not the one. Then Jesse called another; but the Lord 
did not choose him. And Jesse caused seven of his sons to 
pass before Samuel. And Samuel said, The Lord has chosen 
none of these. 

Then Samuel asked, Are these all thy children ? Jesse an¬ 
swered, There is yet one left, the youngest, but he is keeping the 



DAVID ANOINTED AT BETHLEHEM. 


sheep. Samuel said, Send and bring him. And they sent and 
brought him. Now he had been out in the field, and when he 
came in and stood before them, his cheeks were red and his face 
was beautiful to look at. And the Lord said to Samuel, Arise, 
anoint him, for this is he. Then Samuel took oil and poured 



























THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL . 257 

it on his head, and anointed him before all his brethren. So 
the Lord chose David, for that was his name, to be king over 
Israel. Yet he was not to be king at once, or for a long while 
afterward, but when the Lord should put Saul away from 
being king. 

And after David was anointed, the Lord sent his Holy Spirit 
into David’s heart, to make him good and wise; but he took his 
Spirit away from Saul. 

We have read of the angels—those good spirits that serve 


DAVID PLAYING THE HARP BEFORE SAUL. 

God. The Bible tells us there are evil spirits, also, that serve 
Satan. And now one of these went into Saul and troubled him. 
And Saul’s servants told him that he should look for a man who 
could play well on the harp, and when the evil spirit troubled 
him, that man, they said, should come and play before him, for 
then the evil spirit would go from him. So Saul said to his serv¬ 
ants, Get for me now a man that can play well, and bring him 
to me. And one of them answered that he had seen such a 


17 






































































































































258 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


man. He was the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite. It was 
David of whom he spoke; for David knew well how to play on 
the harp. 

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and told him to send 
David, his son, who kept the sheep. Then Jesse took an ass, 
and loaded it with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and 
sent them by David as a present to Saul, but he did not let Saul 
know how Samuel had anointed David to be king. So David 
came to Saul, and stayed with him and waited on him, for 
he pleased him well. And when the evil spirit troubled Saul, 
David took a harp, and played with his hand and made sweet 
music that comforted him ; and the evil spirit went from him. 
But after a while, David left Saul’s house and returned to 
his own home. And Saul had many other servants, and he 
forgot David. 


CHAPTERS XVII.-XX. 

B. C. 1063-1062. 


THE ARMY OF THE PHILISTINES AND THE ARMY OF ISRAEL MAKE READY 
FOR BATTLE. GOLIATH DEFIES THE MEN OF ISRAEL. HE IS SLAIN BY 
DAVID. SAUL TAKES DAVID TO HIS OWN HOUSE, BUT GROWS JEALOUS 
OF HIM AND TRIES TO KILL HIM. DAVID MARRIES SAUL’S DAUGHTER. 
JONATHAN SAVES HIM FROM SAUL. 


A ND the Philistines gathered their armies together to fight 
against Israel. And Saul and the men of Israel made ready 
for the battle. The camp of the Philistines was on a mountain 
on one side, and the camp of Israel was on a mountain on the 
other side, and there was a valley between them. 

And there came out of the camp of the Philistines a giant, 
named Goliath of Gath. On his head was a helmet made of 
brass, and he wore a coat of armor; pieces of brass also covered 
his legs, so that no sword or spear might wound him. He came 
into the valley between the two armies, where the men of Israel 
could see him, and he stood and cried to them, Choose you a 
man out of your army, and let him come down to me. If he be 
able to fight with me and to kill me, then we will be your ser¬ 
vants ; but if I kill him, then shall you be our servants. And 
the Philistine said, I defy, that is, I dare, the armies of Israel 



THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


259 


this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When 
Saul and the men of Israel heard these words, they were greatly 
afraid; for no man in Saul’s army was willing to go out and 
fight with the giant. And every morning and evening for forty 
days, he came out and defied all the men of Israel. 

Now David was feeding his father’s sheep at Bethlehem, but 
his three elder brothers had gone out with Saul to fight against 
the Philistines. And Jesse said to David, his son, Take now 
this parched corn and these ten loaves of bread, and run to the 
camp, to thy brethren ; and carry these ten cheeses as a present 
to their captain, and see how they do. And David rose up early 
in the morning, and left the sheep with a servant, and went as 
his father commanded. And he came to the camp just as the 
host was going out to fight, and all the men shouted for the 
battle. For the Philistines and the children of Israel had made 
ready, and they stood, one army before the other. And David 
left the things he had brought with a man, to take care of them, 
and he ran into the army to speak with his brethren. 

And while he talked with them, Goliath came out between the 
two armies, and spoke the same words that he had spoken before, 
and David heard him. And the men of Israel fled from him in 
fear. And David heard them say that if any man would kill 
the Philistine, the king would give him great riches, and he 
should have the king’s daughter to be his wife. Then David 
asked them to tell him again, what would be done for the man 
who should kill the Philistine. 

And Eliab, David’s eldest brother, heard him asking, and was 
angry with him, and said, Why earnest thou down here ? and 
whom hast thou left at home, to take care of the sheep ? I know 
the naughtiness of thine heart, for thou art come down to see the 
battle. But David answered his brother, saying, What wrong 
have I now done? And David said, Who is this Philistine, 
that he should defy the armies of the living God ? David called 
the armies of Israel the armies of God, because the children of 
Israel were God’s chosen people; and he called God the living 
God, because all other gods are only dead idols. When the men 
who were near him heard the words that David spoke, they told 


260 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


them to Saul, and Saul sent for him. And David came, but 
Saul did not remember him. 

And David talked with Saul, and told him that he would go 
out against the Philistine. David said, Let no man’s heart be 
afraid because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this 
Philistine. Saul said to him, Thou art not able to go out against 
him, for thou art but a youth, and he has been a man of war 
from his youth. David answered, While I was keeping my 
father’s sheep, there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb 
out of the flock; and I went after the lion and struck him, and 
set the lamb free from his mouth; and when he rose against me, 
I caught him by the beard and slew him. Thy servant slew 
both the lion and the bear; and this wicked Philistine shall be 
like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living 
God. David said also, The Lord who saved me from the paw 
of the lion and the paw of the bear, he will save me from the 
hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and the 
Lord be w T ith thee. 

And Saul gave David his own armor, his helmet of brass, and 
his coat of mail and his sword. But David said, I cannot go 
with these; and he put them off from him. Then he took his 
staff, such as shepherds carried, and he chose five smooth stones 
out of the brook, and put them in his shepherd’s bag; and his 
sling was in his hand, and he came near to the Philistine. And 
the Philistine came near to David. But when he saw him, he 
thought him not worth fighting w ith ; for David seemed not like 
a soldier, strong and brave, such as Goliath expected would come 
out against him ; but like a shepherd boy, gentle, and with a 
beautiful face, who had never seen a battle. 

And the Philistine said, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me 
with a staff? And he called on the idols that he worshipped, to 
curse David, and told him to come near that he might kill him. 
David answered, Thou comest to me trusting in thy sw r ord, thy 
shield, and thy spear; but I come to thee, trusting in the God 
of Israel. For this day he will give thee into my hand, and I 
wdll kill thee and cut off thy head from thee; and the army of 
the Philistines shall be slain, and their dead bodies shall lie on 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


261 



the ground, and the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the 
field shall eat them. 

When the Philistine came near, David made haste and ran 
toward him, and put his hand in his shepherd’s bag, and took 
out a stone, and slung it and struck the Philistine in his fore¬ 
head, so that the stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell down 
upon his face to the earth. So David overcame the Philistine 
with a sling and with a stone, for there was no sword in his 


DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH. 

hand. And David ran and stood upon the Philistine, and took 
his sword from him and killed him, and cut off his head with it. 
When all the Philistines saw that the man in whom they trusted 
was slain, they fled. Then the army of Israel rose up and 
shouted, and followed after them and slew them, and many fell 
down by the w T ay as they fled. Afterward the men of Israel 
turned back from pursuing them, and went into the Philistines’ 
camp, and took all the gold, the silver, and the raiment that 
they had left in their tents. 












262 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And David came from the battle with the head of Goliath in 
his hand. Then Abner, the captain of the army of Israel, took 
him and brought him to Saul. And Saul said, Whose son art 
thou, young man ? David answered, I am the son of thy ser¬ 
vant Jesse, the Bethlehemite. 

Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, was there, and when he saw David 
and heard him speaking with his father, he loved him; the 
Bible says, he loved him as his own soul, that is, as much as he 
loved himself. It was the Lord who made him love David, so 
that David might have Jonathan for his friend in all the trou¬ 
bles that were coming afterward upon him. 

And Saul took David that day to be with him, and would let 
him go no more home to his father’s house. And Jonathan 
made a covenant with David, and promised to be kind to him, 
because he loved him as his own soul. To show his love he 
took off his robe, and the garments that he wore, and gave them 
to David, and his sword also, and his bow, and the girdle that 
was fastened around his waist. And David obeyed the com¬ 
mands of Saul, and behaved himself wisely in all things, and 
Saul made him a captain in his army. 

After the battle with the Philistines, as Saul and David 
passed together through some of the cities of the land, the 
women came out with songs and dances, to praise them for their 
victory. But they praised David more than Saul; they said 
that Saul had slain thousands, but David had slain ten thou¬ 
sands of the Philistines. And Saul was greatly displeased at 
their words, and from that time he was jealous of David, and 
looked unkindly on him. The next day an evil spirit came into 
Saul’s heart and troubled him, and David played before him on 
the harp, as he used to do. And Saul held a javelin, or spear, 
in his hand, and he cast it at David, intending that it should go 
through his body and fasten him to the wall, for he wanted to 
kill him. But David saw it, and stepped aside out of the way, 
and it did him no harm. And Saul cast it at him again, but 
he stepped aside this time also. 

And Saul was afraid of David, because he saw that the Lord 
was with him, but he was not with Saul any more. And Saul 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


263 


sent David away from his house, with the soldiers that he had 
made him captain of. And the Lord helped David to do all things 
well, and all the people loved him. And Saul said to him, I will 
give thee Merab, my daughter, for thy wife, if thou wilt go out 
and fight against the Philistines. Saul said this, because he 
hoped the Philistines would kill him. And David went and 
fought with them, but when the time came that he should have 
Merab, Saul gave her to be the wife of another man. 

After that, Saul’s younger daughter, Michal, loved David, and 
they told Saul of it. Then he said that if David would go and 
slay a hundred of the Philistines, he should have Michal for his 
wife ; for he hoped that, this time, they would surely kill him. 
And David went with his soldiers and fought against the Philis¬ 
tines, and slew them, but David himself was not harmed ; then 
Saul gave Michal to him, and she was his wife. And Saul saw 
that the Lord was with David to help him, and he was yet the 
more afraid of him, and came to be his enemy, and hated him. 
And he spoke to Jonathan, his son, and to all his servants, and 
commanded them to kill David. But Jonathan loved David, 
and told him of what his father had said, saying, My father 
seeketh to kill thee, now, therefore go to some secret place 
and hide thyself. And I will talk with my father, and what 
he says I will tell thee. 

And Jonathan talked with Saul, and begged him not to 
harm David, for he said that David had done no evil to 
Saul, but had done that which was good. He had risked his 
own life, that he might kill Goliath, the Philistine, and, after 
he had killed him, the men of Israel gained a great victory. 
Saul knew of all these things, and was full of joy when they 
happened. Why, then, Jonathan asked, would he do so wicked 
a thing now, as to kill David, although David was a good 
man and had done nothing for which he deserved to die? And 
Saul listened to Jonathan’s words, and promised, before the 
Lord, that David should not be slain. Then Jonathan called 
David from the place where he was hidden, and told him what 
his father had said. And he brought David to Saul, and 
David stayed at Saul’s house again. 


264 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And there was war in the land, and David went out and 
fought with the Philistines, and gained the victory over them. 
But Saul was not pleased that he gained the victory, because 
it made the people love him yet more. And the evil spirit 
came into Saul’s heart, as he sat in his house with his javelin 
in his hand, while David was playing on the harp before him. 



SAUL CASTS HIS JAVELIN AT DAVID. 


Then Saul cast the javelin again at David, to kill him, but 
David saw it and stepped aside, as he had done before, and 
the javelin went into the wall and did him no harm; and 
he fled that night. 

And Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch that 
he should not escape in the night, and then to kill him in the 
morning. But Michal, David’s wife, knew of it, and told him, 
saying, If thou save not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou shalt 
be slain. So she let him down through a window, where Saul’s 
men could not see him, and he escaped from them. Then she 
took an image and laid it in his bed, and put a pillow under it. 












THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


265 


and covered it up r to make them think that David was there, 
and so let him have time to flee far away. And Saul commanded 
his men to go up into the chamber and take him, but when they 
came there, they found an image in the bed, laid on the pillow. 
And Saul was angry with Michal for this. 

And David fled to Ramah, where Samuel lived, and told him 
of all that Saul had done. Afterward he came to Naioth, and 
some one told Saul of it, and Saul sent men to take him, but the 
Lord saved him out of their hands. Then he fled from Naioth 
to the place where Jonathan was, and went to him, and said, 
What have I done? What is my sin, that thy father seeketh 
to kill me ? Now Jonathan had not heard that his father was 
trying to kill David; therefore he said to him, Thou shalt not 
die, my father will do nothing without first telling me of it. 
But David said it was true that Saul wanted to put him to 
death. Then Jonathan promised to do whatever David should 
ask of him. 

Now r the next day was to be a feast day, when Saul would 
expect David to come to his house and eat of the feast. But 
David was afraid to go, and he begged Jonathan to let him stay 
away for three days. When Saul should ask why he was not at 
the feast, Jonathan was to answer that he had given David per¬ 
mission to go to Bethlehem, where his father lived, that he might 
be w T ith his family when they offered up their yearly sacrifice. 
If Saul should be angry when he heard this, David said it would 
show that he was determined to do him evil. 

And Jonathan gave David permission to be away for three 
days. Then David asked, But who shall tell me what thy father 
says, when he hears that I have gone? Jonathan answered, 
Come, let us go out into the field. And they went out together 
into the field. And Jonathan told David that after the three 
days were past, David should come and hide in the field behind 
a rock that was there. Then, Jonathan said, he would come out 
at the same time into the field, pretending no one was there, and 
lie would shoot three arrows from his bow, as if he were shooting 
at a mark, and would send a lad after the arrow’s to pick them 
up. If Jonathan should call out to the lad, The arrows are 


266 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


on this side of thee, David might know that Saul was not dis¬ 
pleased with him, and would do him no harm. But if Jonathan 
should cry out, The arrows are beyond thee, David would know 
that he must flee, and that Saul meant to kill him. Jonathan 
took this plan because he feared he would be watched, and not 
be able to speak with David. 

So David went away from Saul’s house, and the next day was 
the day of the feast. And Saul sat down to eat, as at other 
times, on a seat by the wall. Jonathan, and Abner, the captain 
of the host, sat near him; but David’s seat was empty. And 
Saul asked nothing about David that day, for he thought some¬ 
thing had happened to keep him away. But the next day 
David’s seat was empty again; and Saul said to Jonathan, Why 
comes not David to eat, neither yesterday nor to-day ? Jonathan 
answered, David asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. He 
said, Let me go, I pray thee, for our family has a sacrifice, and 
my brother has commanded me to be there; and now I pray 
thee, let me go and see my brethren. 

Then Saul was very angry with Jonathan for allowing David 
to go, and told him that he ought not to love David. Saul told 
him this, because he wanted Jonathan to be king after he him¬ 
self should die; but now, he said, that Jonathan would never 
be king, as long as David lived. Therefore, he said, Send and 
bring him unto me, for he shall surely be put to death. But 
Jonathan asked, Why shall he be put to death ? What evil has 
he done ? Then Saul cast his javelin at Jonathan. Therefore 
Jonathan knew that his father was determined to slay David. 
So he rose up from the table in great anger, and would eat no 
food, for he was grieved for David, because his father had said 
these things of him. 

The next day was the day on which David was to hide out in 
the field, behind the rock that Jonathan had shown him. And 
Jonathan went out at the time he had said, and a little lad went 
with him. And he sent the lad on before him that he might find 
the arrows he would shoot. Then he shot an arrow that passed 
over the lad. And Jonathan cried out loud, saying, The arrow 
is beyond thee; make haste; stay not. And David heard the 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 267 

words in the place where he was hidden, and he knew from those 
words that he must flee, because Saul meant to kill him. 

And the lad gathered up the arrows and brought them to Jon¬ 
athan, but he did not know why Jonathan had shot them, and 
called out after him. And Jonathan gave his bow and arrows 
to the lad, and said, Go, carry them to the city. As soon as he 
was gone, David came out from his hiding-place, and he bowed 
down with his face to the ground, before Jonathan, three times. 



THE PARTING OP DAVID AND JONATHAN. 


Then they came together and kissed one another, and wept with 
one another. And Jonathan told David to flee, and he helped 
him to escape from his father; because he loved David, and they 
had made a covenant together that they would be kind to each 
other, and to each other’s children, forever. Then David rose 
up and fled from Saul. And Jonathan went back to the city. 














268 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


CHAPTERS XXI.-XXV. 

B. C. 1002-1060. 

DAVID FLEES TO AHIMELECH, THE HIGH PRIEST. SAUL COMMANDS THAT 
ALL THE PRIESTS SHALL BE SLAIN. DAVID AND JONATHAN MAKE A 
COVENANT TOGETHER. DAVID CUTS OFF A PIECE OF SAUL’S ROBE IN 
THE CAVE. NABAL OFFENDS DAVID. DAVID MARRIES ABIGAIL. 


D AVID came to the city of Nob, where the tabernacle was 
at that time, for the people had moved it from Shiloh after 
the ark was taken by the Philistines. And Ahimelech, the high 
priest, asked David w r hy he had come ? Then David w r as afraid 
to say that he fled from Saul, lest some one might send word 
for Saul to come and take him. So he was tempted to tell an 
untruth. He said that the king had sent him on a secret 
errand, but had commanded him to tell no one what it was. 
David sinned when he said this. The Lord who had saved 
him from the lion and the bear, and from Goliath the Philis¬ 
tine, was able to save him from Saul. He should have spoken 
the truth and trusted in him. 

And some young men, who were the friends of David, had 
come with him. Therefore he asked Ahimelech for five loaves 
of bread, that they might have something to eat. Ahimelech 
answered, that no bread was there excepting the shew-bread, 
which, as we have been told, the priests placed each week on 
the golden table. And Ahimelech gave this to David. 

Now there w^as at the tabernacle a man named Doeg; he was 
not one of the children of Israel, but had come from the land of 
Edom ; and w r as hired by Saul to take care of his cattle. Doeg 
saw David while he talked w;ith Ahimelech. And David said to 
Ahimelech, Is there not here a spear, or sword, that I can have? 
for I have not brought my sw'ord or my weapons with me. The 
high priest answered, The sword of Goliath, the Philistine w horn 
thou slewest, is here, wrapped in a cloth ; if thou dost w r ant it, 
take it, for there is no other. David said, Give it to me. 

And David arose and fled from the tabernacle, because he 
feared that Saul would find him. And he came to the city of 
the Philistines, called Gath. The king of that city was named 
Achish. When his servants saw David, they knew him and 
brought him to the king, saying, Is not this David ? Did not the 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


269 


women of Israel sing to each other, saying, Saul has slain thou¬ 
sands, but David has slain ten thousands of the Philistines? 
Then David w as afraid, and pretended he had lost his senses: 
he scrabbled on the doors, and behaved strangely before 
them. And king Achish saw him, and said to his servants, 
You see the man is mad; why, then, have you brought him 
to me? Have I need of madmen, that you have brought 
him? Shall such a fellow as this come into my house? So 
they let him go. 

And he fled from Gath, and went into a great cave, called the 
cave of Adullam, and lived there. When his brethren and his 
parents heard of it, they came to him, and others who were will¬ 
ing to help him, came also, until he had with him about four 
hundred men. But David’s father and mother were old, and 
he wished them to be in a better place than the cave where he 
was hidden, yet he would not send them back to their home in 
Bethlehem, because the Philistines were there. Therefore he 
went to the king of Moab, and said to him, Let my father and 
my mother, I pray thee, come and stay in thy land, until I shall 
find out what God will do for me. And the king said they might; 
so David brought his father and mother, and they stayed with 
the king of Moab as long as David was in the cave. 

And David remembered the time when he used to live at 
Bethlehem, when he was a boy, tending his father’s sheep, and 
before all his troubles had come upon him. And he thought of 
the well by the gate, that he used to drink of then. And he 
longed for it, and said, O, that some one would give me a drink 
from the well that is by the gate of Bethlehem. Then three of 
his men who heard him speak, went and broke through the host 
of the Philistines and drew water from the well and brought it 
to David. But when he remembered how they had risked their 
lives to get it for him, he would not drink of it, but poured it out 
on the ground as an offering to the Lord. 

And a prophet, named Gad, came to David, and said to him, 
Stay no longer in the cave, but go back into the land of Judah. 
Then David went into that land, and lived in a wood. Now Saul 
was in the city of Gibeah; he rested there under a tree, with his 


270 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


spear in his hand, while his servants were standing about him. 
And he spoke to them, saying, that they were not his friends any 
longer, but his enemies, because they would not tell him what 
David and Jonathan were going to do against him. 



DAVID POURS OUT THE WATER FROM THE WELL AT BETHLEHEM. 


Then Doeg the Edomite spoke to Saul, and said, that he had 
seen David at the tabernacle, and that Ahimelech, the high priest, 
had given him bread and the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 
And the king sent for Ahimelech, and for all the priests who 
were with him; and they came to the king. And Saul asked 
Ahimelech why he had helped David to rise up against him, 
and given him bread and a sword. Ahimelech answered that he 
had not helped David to rise up against Saul; for he did not 
know, when David came to the tabernacle, that he was fleeing 
from Saul, or that the king was seeking to slay him. 

But Saul was very angry, and said, Thou shalt surely be put 
to death, Ahimelech, thou and all thy relations. And he turned 
to the soldiers that stood near him, saying, Slay the priests, be- 











THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


271 


cause they are on David’s side, and when they knew where he had 
fled, they would not tell me. But the soldiers refused to obey 
him. Then he said to Doeg the Edomite, Do thou slay them. 
And that wicked man rose up and slew eighty-five men who were 
priests. He went to the city of Nob also, where the tabernacle 
was, and where the priests lived, and slew all whom he found 
there. But one of Ahimelech’s sons, named Abiathar, escaped 
and fled to David, and told him what Saul had done. David 
answered, I knew, when Doeg, the Edomite, saw me at the 
tabernacle, that he would surely tell Saul. It is my fault 
that thy father and all thy relations have been slain. Then 
he asked Abiathar to stay there, and promised that no one 
should harm him. 

After this, some one told David that the Philistines had come 
into the land of Judah, and were fighting against the city of 
Keilah, and robbing the people of their grain. Then David 
asked the Lord whether he should go and fight against them. 
The Lord answered, Go, and destroy the Philistines, and save 
Keilah. But the men who were with David feared to go. 
Then David asked the Lord again, and the Lord told him 
to go, for he would give him the victory. So David and his 
men went and fought with the Philistines, and overcame them, 
and saved the people of Keilah. 

And it was told Saul that David had gone into Keilah. Then 
he said, I shall now surely take him, for my soldiers will sur¬ 
round the city on every side, so that he cannot escape. And 
Saul called all his army together to go down to take David. 
When David heard of it, he asked the Lord whether Saul would 
certainly come. The Lord said, He will come down. Then 
David asked whether the people who lived in Keilah, and whom 
he had saved from the Philistines, would fight for him against 
Saul, or whether they would give him up. And the Lord an¬ 
swered, They will give thee up. 

Then David and his men (there were, by this time, about six 
hundred with him) went out of Keilah, to flee to any place they 
could find where they might hide from Saul. When Saul heard 
that David had fled, he did not go to Keilah after him. Yet he 


272 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


tried every day to find him, but God saved him out of Saul’s 
hand. And David hid in a wood. And one day Jonathan 
came to him there, and spoke kindly to him, saying, Fear not, 
for Saul, my father, shall not find thee, and thou shalt yet be 
king over Israel. And again they made a covenant together, 
promising never to harm one another. Afterward Jonathan 
went away to his own home, but David stayed in the wood. 

And the people called Ziphites came to Saul, and said they 
would show r him where David was. Then Saul and his men went 
with them to seek him. But when they had almost taken David, 
a messenger came to Saul, saying, Make haste and come back, 
for the Philistines have come into thy land. And Saul had to 
go to fight against the Philistines, and the Lord saved David 
this time also; and he fled into the wilderness. 

When Saul returned from following the Philistines, it was 
told him where David had gone. Then he chose three thousand 
of his soldiers, and took them into the wilderness to hunt for 
David among the rocks, where the wild goats lived. And he 
came to a cave. Now David and his men were hidden in the 
sides of the cave, but Saul could not see them. And Saul walked 
alone into the cave. While he was there, David’s men wanted 
him to rise up and kill Saul. But he would not, for although 
Saul wanted to kill David, David did not want to kill him. 
Instead of this he was willing to obey him, and do all that he 
commanded, because Saul was still king. Therefore David 
would not slay Saul, yet he went up softly behind him, while he 
was in the cave, and cut off a piece of his robe and took it away 
in his hand, but Saul did not know it. 

When Saul went out of the cave, David followed him and 
cried aloud, saying, My lord, the king. And Saul looked round 
to see who it was. Then David bowed down with his face to 
the earth before him, and asked why Saul listened to the wicked 
men who told him that David wanted to do him harm. On that 
day, David said, he might have killed Saul, and some of his 
men wanted him to do it, but he had told them he would not 
kill his master, whom the Lord had made king. Then David 
held up the piece of robe which he had cut off, and said, See this 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


273 


piece of thy robe in my hand! Since I was so near thee as to 
cut it off, but did not kill thee, thou mayest know that I would 
not do thee evil. Yet thou art hunting me to put me to death, 
Let the Lord judge between us, and see which one is doing 
wrong, and let him punish thee for thy cruelty to me, but I will 
not do thee any harm. 

When Saul heard David speaking so kindly to him, the feel¬ 
ing of hatred went out of his heart, and he said, Is this thy 
voice, my son David ? and he wept. Then he said to David, 
Thou art more righteous than I because thou hast done good to 
me, but I have done evil to thee; and thou hast shown me kind¬ 
ness this day, for when I was in thy power thou didst not kill 
me. May the Lord reward thee for the good thou hast done. 
And now I know well that thou shalt some day be king over 
Israel. Promise me therefore, before the Lord, that thou wilt 
not slay my children, after I am dead. And David promised 
that he would not. Then Saul went away to his own home, but 
David and his men stayed out in the wilderness. 

And Samuel died, and all the children of Israel gathered to¬ 
gether to mourn for him, and they buried him at Ramah, the 
city where he had lived. 

After Samuel was dead, David went down to the wilderness 
of Paran. And there was in that country a very rich man, who 
had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; his name was 
Nabal, and his wife’s name Abigail. She was a kind and a 
beautiful woman, and acted wisely and prudently; but he was 
ill-natured and foolish, and did what was evil. 

Now David and his men had their camp near the place where 
Nabal’s flocks were feeding, and David’s men were very good to 
Nabal, for although they wanted food to eat, they never took a 
sheep or a goat from him, nor allowed others to do so, neither 
did they harm his shepherds. And Nabal went to shear his 
sheep at Carmel. When David heard of it, he spoke to ten of 
his young men, saying, Go up to Carmel and speak kindly to 
Nabal, and ask if he will not give us some food ? And they 
went and spoke as David had told them. But Nabal answered, 
Who is David ? There are plenty of servants now-a-days that 
18 


274 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


run away from their masters as he has done. Shall I take my 
bread, and the meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give 
it to men who have come from I know not where ? 

So David’s young men came back to him and told him all 
that Nabal had spoken. Then David said to his men, Gird on 
every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword, and 
there went up after him about four hundred men; for two hun¬ 
dred stayed to guard the things that were in their camp. And 
David was very angry, and told his men that he had kept 
Nabal’s flocks safe all the time they were out in the wilder¬ 
ness, so that none of them was lost; yet now, when he spoke 
kindly to him and asked him for food, he would give none, but 
returned only evil for the good that had been done to him. 
And David said he would go to Carmel and punish Nabal with 
a very great punishment. 

And he started to go to Nabal’s house. But before he had 
come there, one of Nabal’s young men went to Abigail, Nabal’s 
wife, and told her how David had sent messengers to Nabal, and 
how unkindly Nabal had treated them. Yet David’s men were 
very good to us, the young man said, when we were out in the 
wilderness. We were not harmed by them, neither missed we 
anything, but they kept us safe by night and by day, all the 
time we were near them keeping the sheep. Then the young 
man told Abigail to think what she had better do, because David 
would surely come and punish them for Nabal’s unkindness. 

Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves of 
bread, and two bottles of wine, five sheep, ready killed, and five 
measures of parched corn; one hundred clusters of raisins, and 
two hundred cakes of figs, and put them upon asses. And she 
said to her servants, Go on before me, I will come after you. 
But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 

And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came by a 
shady place of the hill, and there she met David and his men 
coming toward her. When she saw him, she got down from 
the ass, and bowed before him with her face to the ground, saying, 
I pray thee, let me speak, and hear thou what I say; but mind 
not the evil words that Nabal has spoken. She said also, Let 



DAVID AND ABIGAIL. 

suade him to stay away from Nabal’s house, and not go there to 
put Nabal to death. 

And David listened to her words, and, when she was done 
speaking, he thanked the Lord for sending her to meet him, and 
for the good advice she had given him, because it had kept him 
from going on in his anger to kill Nabal. So he took the pres¬ 
ent which Abigail brought, and spoke kindly to her, and sent 
her safely away; and he and his men went back to their camp. 

When Abigail came to her home, Nabal was holding a great 
feast there and was drunken. Therefore she said nothing to him 


THE FIRST ROOK OF SAMUEL. 275 


this present which I have brought, be given to thy young men. 
And she begged that David would forgive her for coming to him. 
The Lord would certainly bless him, she said, and save him 
from Saul. And when the Lord should have done as he prom¬ 
ised, and made him king over Israel, then, Abigail said, David 
would not be sorry that he had listened to her, and let her per- 










276 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


until the morning. Then when she told him of the danger he 
had been in, he was greatly afraid, and all his strength went 
from him, so that he lay helpless and without moving, like a 
stone. And about ten days afterward he died. When David 
heard that Nabal was dead, he thanked the Lord again for keep¬ 
ing him from going to Nabal’s house in his anger. David said, 
Blessed be the Lord, who has kept me from doing evil. 

And David loved Abigail, and sent messengers to ask that she 
would be his wife. When they came to her house, they said, 
David sent us unto thee to take thee to him to be his wife. And 
she bow r ed herself with her face to the earth, and said, Let me 
be his servant. Then she made haste, and rode upon an ass, and 
five of her handmaidens went with her; and she followed after 
the messengers of David, and came to him and was his wife. 


CHAPTERS XXVI.-XXXI. 

B. C. 1060-1056. 


SAUL HUNTS DAVID IN THE WILDERNESS. DAVID BY NIGHT, TAKES 
AWAY SAUL’S SPEAR AND CRUSE OF WATER. THE PHILISTINES BRING 
AN ARMY AGAINST SAUL. SAUL INQUIRES OF A WOMAN WHO HAS A 
FAMILIAR SPIRIT. HE AND HIS SONS ARE SLAIN. 


A ND the people called Ziphites, who once before had helped 
Saul to find David, came again, and told him where David 
was hidden out in the wilderness. Now Saul’s wicked heart was 
not changed; although the feelings of hatred had left it for a 
little w hile, when David spared his life at the cave, yet those 
feelings soon came back, so that he wanted to kill him as much 
as ever. Therefore, when the Ziphites told w here David was, 
Saul took three thousand men and went into the wilderness to 
find him. 

And David heard of it and sent out spies to w T atch for him, 
and they brought back word that Saul had come indeed. Then 
David went secretly near to the place where Saul made his 
camp; and he said to the men who were with him, Who will go 
down with me to Saul in his camp? And Abishai, David’s 
nephew, answered, I will go with thee. So David and Abishai 
came down in the night. And Saul lay sleeping in the camp, 



THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


277 



with his spear stuck into the ground by his pillow; and Abner, 
the captain of Saul’s army, and the rest of his soldiers, were 
sleeping around him. Then Abishai asked David to let him 
kill Saul. He would strike the sharp spear through his body 
into the ground, he said, and would not have to do it a second 
time. But David answered, Destroy him not, for who can 
kill the Lord’s anointed without sin? He called Saul the 


DAVID AND ABISHAI AT SAUL’S CAMP. 

Lord’s anointed, because it was the Lord who commanded 
Samuel to anoint him as king. 

And David told Abishai that the Lord might kill Saul, or 
that the time might come for him to die, or he might be killed 
in battle, but that he would not kill him. Then David said to 
Abishai, But I pray thee take the spear that is by his pillow, 
and the cruse (or bottle) of water, and let us go. So they took 


















278 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the spear and cruse of water from Saul’s pillow, and left him ; 
and no man saw them, or knew of it, because the Lord had sent 
a deep sleep upon Saul and his men. Then David went and 
stood on the top of a hill, a good way off. And he cried to 
Saul’s men, and to Abner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner ? 
And Abner awaked out of his sleep, and answered, Who art 
thou that criest to the king ? David said, Why hast thou not 
kept better watch over the king, thy master, that no one should 
come into the camp to kill him ? And now see where the king’s 
spear is, and the cruse of water that was by his pillow. 

And Saul heard David speaking, and knew his voice, and said, 
Is this thy voice, my son David ? David answered, It is my 
voice, my lord, O king. Then David asked Saul what he had 
done, and how he had sinned, that Saul still followed after him 
to kill him. If he had been wicked, he was willing to confess 
his fault, and to offer up a sacrifice that he might be forgiven. 
But if Saul was following him only because evil men persuaded 
him to do it, David prayed that the Lord would punish those 
men; and he begged Saul not to slay him. 

Then Saul said, I have sinned; come back, my son David, 
for I will no more do thee harm. I have done wrong exceed¬ 
ingly. David answered, See the king’s spear, let one of his 
young men come over and take it. And David told Saul how 
he might have killed him that day, but he would not. Then 
David prayed to the Lord that he would save him out of all his 
troubles. And Saul heard him, and spoke kindly to him, and 
did not try to do him any harm. So David went away, and 
Saul came back to his own home. 

But though Saul spoke kindly to him, David did not believe 
his words, for he had spoken so before, and wept, and called 
him his son, yet afterward had come out with three thousand 
men to take him. Therefore David thought that Saul would 
never stop seeking after him. He said to himself, He will sure¬ 
ly find me some day, and kill me. There is nothing better for 
me to do, than to flee into the land of the Philistines; then Saul 
will give up looking for me, so I shall escape out of his hand. 

And David arose and went with his six hundred men into the 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


279 


land of the Philistines, to the city of Gath. And Achish, the 
king, when he saw them, hoped to make them his servants; 
therefore he let them stay in his land and gave them a city, 
called Ziklag, to live in. When it was told Saul that David 
had fled, he sought no more after him. David was in the land 
of the Philistines a year and four months. While he was there, 
all the Philistines gathered their armies together to fight against 
Saul. And Achish said to David, Thou shaft go out with me 
to the battle, thou and thy men. He wanted David to go with 
the Philistines and fight against Saul and the children of Israel. 
But David did not say he would go. 

And the Philistines came and made their camp at a place 
called Shunem; and Saul and all the men of Israel made their 
camp at Gilboa. When Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he 
trembled, for he was greatly afraid. And he asked of the Lord 
what he should do; but the Lord did not answer him, neither 
did he send any prophet to answer him. 

Now there were at that time in the land of Israel, persons who 
had evil spirits that would come when they called them. Then 
they talked w T ith the spirits, and questioned them about what 
would happen in the future, and asked the spirits to help them 
in doing things that were wicked. These spirits were called 
familiar spirits. It was a great sin to have a familiar spirit. 
The Lord commanded that all those persons who had them 
should be put to death, and he forbade the people from going 
to such persons to inquire, or ask any questions: and Saul had 
sent many who had them out of the land. But now he was in 
great trouble. He had asked the Lord what he should do against 
the Philistines, and the Lord would not answer him. Then he 
said to his servants, Seek for me a woman that hath a familiar 
spirit, that I may go to her and ask. His servants answered, 
There is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. 

And Saul put on other raiment that no one might know him, 
and took two men with him, and came to the woman by night; 
and she knew not that it was Saul. And he asked her to let the 
familiar spirit bring up for him a man who was dead, but whom 
he wanted to speak with. Saul should have known that the evil 


280 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



SAUIi AND THE WITCH OF ENDOR. 

with Saul. And Saul stooped with his face to the earth, and 
bowed himself down to the ground. 

And Samuel said to him, Why hast thou disturbed me to 
bring me up? Saul answered, I am sore distressed, for the 
Philistines make war against me, and God has gone away from 
me, and answers me no more; therefore I have called thee, that 
thou mayst tell me what I shall do. Samuel said, Why dost 
thou ask of me, seeing the Lord has gone from thee, and become 
thine enemy? For the Lord has done to thee what I told thee 
he would do; he has put thee away from being king, and made 
David king, because thou didst not obey him. And now he will 


spirit could not bring up a man from the dead: God alone can 
do that. Yet Saul said, Bring up the one I shall name to thee. 
The woman asked, Whom shall I bring up to thee ? Saul an¬ 
swered, Bring me up Samuel. Then Samuel, who had been 
dead and buried for years, rose up before them. But it was not 
the evil spirit that brought him up; the Lord sent him to speak 










THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


281 


give the Philistines the victory over thee, and over all the army 
of Israel; and to-morrow, thou, and thy sons, shall be with me 
among the dead. 

Then Saul fell down on the earth, and was greatly afraid, be¬ 
cause of the words that Samuel had spoken, and there was no 
strength left in him; for he had eaten nothing all that day, nor 
all the night before. And the woman came to him and saw his 
distress, and she said, I pray thee, let me set food before thee, 
that thou mayest eat and gain strength before thou goest on thy 
way. But he refused and said, I will not eat. Then his servants 
and the woman begged him, until he consented. So he rose up 
from the earth and sat upon the bed. And the woman had a fat 
calf that she made haste to kill, and she took flour and kneaded 
it and made bread. And she brought it and set it before Saul 
and his servants, and they did eat. Then they rose up and went 
away that night. 

Now the lords of the Philistines gathered all their armies 
together at Aphek. And Achish, the king of Gath, came there 
and brought David and his six hundred men with him. But 
when the lords of the Philistines saw them, they said, What are 
these Hebrews doing here? Achish answered them, This is 
David, the servant of Saul, the king of Israel, who has been 
with me now for a long while, and I have found no fault in 
him from the time he came until this day. But the lords of 
the Philistines were angry at Achish for bringing David ; they 
said to him, Make this fellow go back, and let him not come 
with us to the battle, lest he turn and fight against us to please 
Saul, his master. Then Achish called David and told him, 
saying, Therefore now go back, that thou displease not the 
lords of the Philistines. So David and his men rose up early 
in the morning and went away from the camp. 

On the third day, they came to their homes in Ziklag, but 
they found their houses burned with fire, for the Amalekites had 
been there and destroyed the city, and carried away their wives 
and children captives. Then the men of Israel wept till they 
could weep no more; and David was greatly distressed, for his 
men were angry because he had taken them from their homes 


282 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


to go with Achish, and they talked about stoning him; but he 
trusted in the Lord his God. 

And David called Abiathar, the high priest, and told him to 
ask the Lord for him, saying, Shall I go after the Amalekites, 
and shall I come up with them ? The Lord answered, Go after 
them, for thou shalt surely come up with them, and get back all 
they have taken. And David went with his six hundred men, till 
they came to the brook Besor; there two hundred of them stayed, 
because they were so weary and faint they could go no further. 
But David followed on, he and four hundred men. 

And they found a man who was sick, alone in a field, and 
they gave him bread and water, also a piece of a cake of figs 
and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten he grew 
stronger, for he had taken no food for three days and three 
nights. And David said to him, From what place hast thou 
come ? and to whom dost thou belong ? He answered I am a 
young man of Egypt, the servant to an Amalekite, and my 
master left me three days ago when I fell sick. 

Then he told David what the Amalekites had done, and how 
they burned Ziklag with fire. David asked him, Canst thou 
bring us to the place where they now are ? The young man 
said, Promise me, before God, that you will not kill me nor 
give me back to my master, and I will bring you there. And 
David promised him. So he brought them to the place. When 
they came there, the Amalekites were scattered over the ground, 
eating, and drinking, and dancing, because of the spoil they 
had taken from Ziklag, and from other places where they had 
been to rob the people. And David and his men fought against 
them, and slew them, so that none of them escaped, except four 
hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. And the 
men of Israel got back their wives and their children, and all 
the spoil that the Amalekites had taken, as the Lord said they 
should. They took also the flocks and the herds which the 
Amalekites had with them. 

And David and his men returned to the brook Besor, and the / 
two hundred men whom they had left there came out to meet 
them. Then some of David’s men, who were selfish and wicked, 


THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


283 


said, Because these two hundred went not with us, we will not give 
them any of the spoil we have taken; except to every man we 
will give his wife, and his children, that they may go away from 
us. But David answered them, Ye shall not do so, my brethren. 
Then he told them that all should share alike—those who were 
left behind, and those who went down to the battle. 

And the lords of the Philistines, after David had left their 
camp, went out and fought against Saul and the men of Israel. 
And the men of Israel fled from them, and many fell down slain 
on mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard after Saul; 
and they slew Jonathan and two other of Saul’s sons. And the 
battle went greatly against him. The archers with their bows 



SAUL FALLS ON HIS SWORD. 


and arrows hit him, and he was sorely wounded by the archers. 
Then he said to his armor-bearer, Draw thy sword and put me 
to death, because I fear the Philistines may take me and treat 
me cruelly. But his armor-bearer was afraid, and would not. 
Then Saul took his own sword and stood it on the ground, with 











284 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


its point upward; and lie fell upon it, on purpose, so that it ran 
into his body and killed him. 

When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell 
upon his sword and died. So Saul died, and his three sons and 
his armor-bearer, and great numbers of his men, that same day 
together. And the Philistines gained the victory, as Samuel 
had told Saul they should. As soon as the children of Israel 
who lived in that part of the land heard how their army had 
fled, they fled also, and the Philistines came and lived in the 
cities they left. 

The next day, when the Philistines went to strip off the rai¬ 
ment of the men whom they had killed in the battle, they found 
Saul and his three sons lying dead on mount Gilboa. Then 
they cut off Saul’s head and took off his armor, and sent word 
through the land of the Philistines, so that all their people might 
know it. And they put Saul’s armor in the house of their idol, 
Ashtaroth, and fastened up his dead body, and the dead bodies 
of his sons, to the wall of the city of Beth-shan. 

But when the Israelites, who lived in Jabesh-gilead heard 
what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the brave men of 
that city arose, and went all night till they came to Beth-shan. 
And they took down the dead bodies of Saul and his sons 
from the wall, and brought them to Jabesh; there they burnt 
them, and then took their bones and buried them under a tree. 
For Saul had been very kind to the people of Jabesh-gilead 
many years before, when he came with an army and saved 
them from the Ammonites. 


THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


285 


THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL 


CHAPTERS I.-IX. 

(1 Chron. xiii. 15 - 18 .) 

B. C. 1056-1040. 

DAVID HEARS THAT SAUL AND JONATHAN ARE DEAD. HE GOES TO 
HEBRON, AND IS MADE KING FIRST OVER JUDAH, THEN OVER ALL 
ISRAEL. HE TAKES THE CITY OF JERUSALEM AND BRINGS THE ARK 
THERE. HIS KINDNESS TO MEPHIBOSHETH. 

D AVID was still at Ziklag. He did not know that the Phil¬ 
istines had fought with the men of Israel, and gained the 
victory over them. But there came to Ziklag a man with his 
clothes rent and with earth upon his head, as though he were 
in great distress. When he saw David he bowed down to the 
ground before him. And David asked him from what place 
he had come. The man said, Out of the camp of Israel am I 
escaped. David asked him how the battle went. He answered, 
The men of Israel have fled and many of them are slain, and 
Saul and Jonathan are dead also. 

David said to the young man, How knowest thou that Saul 
and Jonathan are dead? The young man answered, As I hap¬ 
pened, by chance, to be upon mount Gilboa in the battle, Saul 
stood there leaning on his spear, wdiile the Philistines with their 
chariots and horsemen were coming swiftly upon him to kill 
him. When he looked behind him he saw me and called me; 
I answered, Here am I. And he spoke to me, saying, Come, 
I pray thee, and put me to death, for I am grieved that my 
life is still in me. So I went to him and slew him, because I 
was sure that he could not live. And I took the crown that 
was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and 
have brought them to thee. 

But what the young man told David w r as not true; for, as 
we have read, Saul had killed himself. The young man said 
that he had killed him, because he thought it would please 
David, and that David would reward him for saying so. But 
David was not pleased. He took hold of his clothes and rent 
them; and all the men who v r ere with him rent their clothes. 



286 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And they mourned and wept for Saul, and for Jonathan his 
son, and for the men of Israel, because so many of them had 
been slain. And David asked the young man where his home 
was, and to what country he belonged. He answered that he 
was not one of the children of Israel, but an Amalekite. Then 
David asked him why he was not afraid to kill Saul, whom the 
Lord had chosen to be king over the people. And David said 
that the young man should die for his sin, and that the fault 
w T as his own, because he had confessed with his own mouth that 
he had slain the king of Israel. 

After this David asked the Lord whether he should leave the 
land of the Philistines and go back to the land of Israel. And 
the Lord said he should go. Then David asked to what part 
of the land he should go. The Lord told him, to the city of 
Hebron. Now David belonged to the tribe of Judah, and 
Hebron was one of the cities of that tribe; for as we have read, 
Joshua gave to each of the twelve tribes a part of the land for 
its own, and Hebron was in that part which he gave to the 
tribe of Judah. 

And David, who was now thirty years old, went up out of 
Ziklag to the city of Hebron. And the chief men of the tribe of 
Judah came to Hebron and made him king over that tribe. 
But the other tribes did not come, because one of Saul’s sons 
whose name was Ish-bosh-eth, and who was not slain in the bat¬ 
tle, still ruled over them. Ish-bosh-eth ruled over the other 
tribes for seven years after Saul was dead. Then one day, as he 
lay on his bed, about noon, two of his captains came into his 
house, pretending they wanted only to bring in some wheat, but 
when they had come into his chamber, they slew him. 

And they cut off his head and fled away with it all night to 
Hebron, where David was. And they brought it to David, say¬ 
ing, Behold we have brought thee the head of Ish-bosh-eth, the 
son of Saul who was thy enemy, and wanted to kill thee. But 
David was greatly displeased ; he told them that when he was 
living at Ziklag, and a young man came to him, and said he had 
killed Saul, thinking that David would reward him for it, instead 
of rewarding him he had put him to death. So now, David said, 


THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


287 


these two men who had killed Ish-bosh-eth, Saul’s son, when he 
was doing no wrong, should be put to death for their sin. And 
he commanded that they should be slain. But he sent away the 
head of Ish-bosh-eth to be buried in a sepulchre. 

And when the other tribes saw that Ish-bosh-eth, who had 



DAVID ANOINTED KING AT HEBRON. 


ruled over them, was dead, they also came to David in Hebron, 
and made him their king. So, at last David was king over all 
the tribes of Israel. 

And he went with his army to the city of Jerusalem. The 
men of Israel had, before this time, taken a part of that city from 
the people of the land, but not all of it. There was a strong fort, 



























288 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


or castle, on the mountain called Zion, in which those people 
still lived. But now David took this also from them, and went 
and lived in the castle himself; and he called it the city of 
David. And he came to be a very great man, for the Lord 
helped him in all that he did. And the king of a city called 
Tyre was his friend. This king’s name was Hiram. His people 
knew well how to work in wood and stone. And Hiram sent 
builders and carpenters to David, and they built a house for 
him in Jerusalem. 

We have been told that after the Philistines sent back the ark 
to the land of Israel, it was carried to the city of Kirjath-jearim, 
and left there in the house of a man named Abinadab. It had 
been in Abinadab’s house ever since that time—for more than 
seventy years—because the people had grown careless about it 
and neglected it. But now David spoke to them, and asked 
them to come with him and get it, and bring it to Jerusalem. 
Then David went, and the people with him, and they took the 
ark out of Abinadab’s house and set it on a new cart, to bring 
it to Jerusalem. 

Now the ark was a very holy thing. We have read that when 
it was first brought inside of the tabernacle, God came in a 
cloud, into the tabernacle, above the ark, and there he dwelt in 
the cloud over the mercy-seat. We have read also, that when 
the children of Israel went on their journey through the wilder¬ 
ness, and took the ark with them, they were not allowed to put 
it into a cart, but it was carried on the Levites’ shoulders. And 
the Levites themselves were not allowed to come near it, until 
the priests had covered it with the curtains of the tabernacle. 
For none but the priests were permitted to touch it, or even to 
look upon it uncovered. All other persons were forbidden to do 
so, lest they might die. Therefore when David wanted to bring 
the ark up to Jerusalem, he should not have laid it on a cart. 
Yet he did this; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, 
drove the cart. 

But when they came to the threshing-floor of Nachon, the oxen 
that drew the ark stumbled and shook it; and Uzzah stretched 
out his hand and took hold of it, which God had said should 


THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


289 


not be done. And the Lord was angry with Uzzah for doing 
this, and put him to death there beside the ark. 

And David was displeased because the Lord had put Uzzah 
to death. He was afraid, also, that some punishment might be 
sent upon him. 

So he took the 
ark no further, 
but stopped on 
the way, before 
he came to Jeru¬ 
salem, and left it 
in the house of 
Obed-edom, a Le- 
vite. It was in 
Obed-edom’s 
house for three 
months, and the 
Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his family while it was there. 
When David heard how the Lord blessed him because the ark 
was in his house, he called for the priests and Levites, and told 
them to make ready to bring up the ark, and put it into the tent 
which he had made for it in Jerusalem; for he said, because the 
priests and the Levites had not brought it up the first time, the 
Lord was angry and put Uzzah to death. 

Then David and all the people with him, went to bring up 
the ark out of Obed-edom’s house. But now he commanded the 
Levites to carry it on their shoulders. David was clothed in a 
robe of white linen, and so were the Levites who carried the ark, 
and those who were chosen to sing praises to the Lord. And 
they brought up the ark with shoutings and the sound of 
trumpets, and cymbals and harps. As soon as the Levites w T ho 
carried it had started and gone a few steps, David offered up 
sacrifices to the Lord. And the Bible tells us that he danced 
before the Lord with all his might; that is, he was so glad in 
being allowed to bring up the ark, that he felt as though he 
could not walk quietly along, but must leap and dance for joy. 
And Michal, his wife, looked out of a window and saw him leap- 













290 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


ing and dancing, and she despised him for it in her heart. And 
she told him that he, who was a king, made himself look mean 
and humble before his servants, by doing so. But David said it 
was before the Lord he had done it, and that he would make 
himself still more humble and mean before him. 

And they brought the ark to Jerusalem and set it in the tent 



DAVID BRINGING THE ARK TO JERUSALEM. 

which David had made for it. Then David offered up more sacri¬ 
fices, burnt offerings and peace offerings. As soon as he had done 
this, he blessed the people, and he gave to each one, to the women 
as well as the men, a good piece of flesh, a loaf of bread, and 
a cake of pressed grapes. And when they had received these 
things, they went away every man to his own home. 

But as David sat in the beautiful house which he had built 




















THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


291 


for himself at Jerusalem, and remembered how the ark was 
kept in a tent, he felt in his heart that he would love to build 
a house yet more beautiful than his own, in which to keep the 
ark. Now there was at that time among the children of Israel, 
a prophet named Nathan, and David told Nathan of what he 
wanted to do. Nathan said to him, Do all that is in thine heart, 
for the Lord is with thee to help thee. But that night the 
Lord spoke to Nathan, and said that he should tell David 
not to build the house. Yet the Lord was not displeased at 
David for wanting to build it, but he said that David’s son, 
who would be king after him, should build the house for the 
ark. So David did not go on to build it, but left it for his son 
to build, as the Lord commanded. 

And David went out to war against the heathen kings around 
him, and gained the victory over them, and took from them great 
numbers of horses and chariots, and much gold and silver. Of 
the gold and silver, he gave a part into the treasury of the Lord. 
And the Lord was with him, to prosper him, wherever he went ; 
and he ruled justly over all his people. 

And now that he was grown rich and great, David remem¬ 
bered how Jonathan, Saul’s son, had loved him when he was 
poor and in trouble, and how they had made a covenant together 
to be kind to each other’s children. Therefore David sent for a 
man named Ziba, who had been a servant to Saul, and he asked 
Ziba whether any of Jonathan’s children were yet alive, because, 
if they were, he wanted to be kind to them for Jonathan’s sake. 
And Ziba told the king that one of Jonathan’s sons was still 
living, who was lame in his feet. For on the day that Saul and 
Jonathan were killed in battle, when word of it came to Jona¬ 
than’s house, the little boy’s nurse took him up and fled. But 
as she made haste to flee away, he fell out of her arms and was 
hurt, so that ever since he had been lame. And now he was 
grown to be a man; his name was Me-phib-o-sheth. 

And David sent for him, and when he came to the king he 
bowed down to the ground before him. And David said, Me- 
phib-o-sheth. He answered, Behold, I am thy servant. David 
said to him, Fear not, because I have sent for thee; for I will 


292 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


surely be kind to thee for thy father’s sake, and will give back to 
thee all the land that belonged to Saul, thy grandfather. And 
thou shalt come and eat at my table. Me-phib-o-sheth said to the 
king, What am I, that thou shouldest take any notice of me ? 
Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, I have 
given Me-phib-o-sheth all the land that belonged to Saul. Do 
thou, therefore, and thy sons, take care of it, and bring all the 
fruits that shall grow on it to him.. But as for Me-phib-o-sheth, 
he shall stay with me, and always eat at my table, and be as 
one of my sons. So Me-phib-o-sheth lived in Jerusalem, and did 
eat continually at the table of the king. 


CHAPTERS XI.-XV. 

B. C. 1035-1023. 

DAVID CAUSES URIAH TO BE SLAIN, AND TAKES URIAH’S WIFE TO BE HIS 
WIFE. THE PROPHET TELLS HIM OF HIS SIN. THE SON THAT IS 
GIVEN TO DAVID AND BATHSHEBA DIES. SOLOMON IS BORN. AB¬ 
SALOM REBELS AGAINST HIS FATHER. DAVID FLEES FROM JERU¬ 
SALEM. 

T HE captain of David’s army was named Joab. And David 
sent Joab with his soldiers to fight against the Ammonites, 
but David stayed in his house at Jerusalem. And he went up 
in the cool of the evening to walk upon the roof of his house, 
and he saw, a little way off, a beautiful woman. Then he sent 
to ask who she was. And some one told him that it was Bath- 
sheba, the wife of Uriah, the Hittite, who had gone with Joab 
to fight against the Ammonites. 

And David sent word to Joab, saying, Send Uriah, the Hit¬ 
tite, to me. And Joab sent him to David. When he had come, 
David asked him about the war, and spoke kindly to him, pre¬ 
tending to be his friend. But after three days he sent him back 
to the army with a letter for Joab. In the letter David told 
Joab that when the men of Israel went forth to battle, he 
should send Uriah with them, and put him in the most dan¬ 
gerous place. But as soon as the Ammonites should come out 
to meet them, all the rest must flee and leave Uriah alone to be 
slain. David did this, so that after Uriah was slain, he might 
take Uriah’s wife to be his wife. 



THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


293 


So Uriah went back to the army and gave Joab the letter 
which David had sent, but he knew not what was in it. And 
when the men of Israel went out to fight, Joab did as David 
commanded: he set Uriah in the front of the battle, and the 
Ammonites came out against him and slew him. And Joab 
sent word to David that Uriah was slain. Then David brought 
Bathsheba to his house and took her for his wife. But the Lord 
was displeased at what David had done. 

And the Lord sent Nathan, the prophet, to David. Nathan 
came to him and said, There were two men in one city; one of 



S 


NATHAN TELLS DAVII) OF HIS SIN. 

them was rich, and the other poor. The rich man had many 
flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing except one little 
lamb, which he had bought and taken care of; it grew up with 
his children, he fed it from his table, and it drank out of his 
cup and lay in his bosom, and seemed to him like a daughter. 
And there came to the house of the rich man a traveller, who 
rested there from his journey. Then the rich man would not 









294 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


take a sheep, or a goat, from his own flocks, though he had so 
many of them, but he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it 
for the traveller to eat. 

When David heard the story which Nathan told him, he was 
very angry, and said, The man who has done this thing shall 
surely be put to death, and he shall give to the poor man four 



lambs for the one he took from him. But Nathan had told this 
story to show David his own wickedness. Nathan said to him, 
that he was the one who had done like the rich man. For the 
Lord had chosen him to be king over Israel, and had given him 
wives and children, and made him rich and great. Yet he had 
caused Uriah, who was given so much less than himself, to be 
killed by the Ammonites, that he might take Uriah’s wife to be 




























THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


295 


his wife. Therefore, Nathan said, the Lord would send a dread¬ 
ful punishment upon David. When Nathan spoke these words, 
David felt how wicked he had been, and he said, I have sinned 
against the Lord. 

After this God gave a son to David and Bathsheba, and 



THE RICH MAN’S FEAST. 


David loved the child. But the Lord sent a great sickness upon 
him. Therefore David prayed for him that he might not die. 
David fasted and ate no food, but lay down on the earth all 
night, crying to the Lord. Then the chief men of the city 
came to him persuading him to rise, but he would not; neither 
did he eat with them as he used to do at other times, when they 
came to sit at his table with him. 

On the seventh day the child died. And David’s servant’s 
feared to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, While 
he was yet alive we spoke to the king, but he would not listen 










296 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



to us; how great then will his sorrow be if we tell him that the 
child is dead. But when David saw his servants whispering 
together, he knew that the child was dead; therefore he said to 
them, Is the child dead ? They answered, He is dead. 

Then David rose up and washed and dressed himself, and went 
out to the tent where the ark was kept, and there he worshipped 
the Lord. Afterward he came into his house and told his ser¬ 
vants to bring food; and when they set it before him, he did eat. 
Then his servants were surprised, and asked him why he did 
these things. He wept and would eat nothing, they said, while 


DAVID DIES ON THE GROUND ALL NIGHT. 

the child was alive, but now, that it was dead, he rose up and 
did eat. David answered, While the child was alive, I fasted 
and wept, for I said, Who can tell whether God will be kind to 
me and let the child live? But now he is dead, why should I 
fast any more ? Can I bring him back again ? I shall go to 
him when I die, but he shall never return to me. 













THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


297 


And God gave to David and Bathsheba another son, whose 
name was called Solomon, which means Peaceable; and the 
Lord loved him. 

But David had other wives beside Bathsheba, who had chil¬ 
dren also. One of them had a son named Absalom. He was 
grown up to be a man, and among all the young men of the 
children of Israel, none was so much praised for his beauty as 
he. From his feet to his head there was no fault to be seen in 
him. His hair was so thick and long, that when he cut it at the 
the end of the year, it weighed as much as two hundred shekels 
of silver. But Absalom was a wicked man, for when his brother 
Amnon sinned against him, he killed him and fled to another 
country where he stayed three years. Then he came back to 
his own house in Jerusalem. But David would not see him nor 
speak with him, because he had slain his brother. 

After he had lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing his 
father, Absalom sent for Joab, the captain of David’s army, be¬ 
cause he wanted him to go with a message to the king. But 
Joab would not come. And Absalom sent a second time, and 
still he came not. Therefore Absalom told his servants to go 
into Joab’s field, and set his grain on fire; and the servants did 
so. Then Joab came and asked him, saying, Why have thy ser¬ 
vants set my field on fire ? Absalom answered, that it was be¬ 
cause he would not come to take a message for him to the king. 
For, Absalom said, if he could not see the king, he might as 
well have stayed in that land to which he fled, and not have come 
back to Jerusalem at all. Now, therefore, Absalom said, let me 
come before the king, and if I be guilty let him kill me. 

So Joab w T ent to the king, and told him. Then the king sent 
for Absalom, and Absalom came and bowed himself with his 
face to the ground before his father. But David did not 
punish him for his sin, as he ought to have done, for when 
he came to him he kissed him. 

After this Absalom made ready for himself chariots and 
horses, and had fifty men to run before him when he rode 
out in his chariot, so that all the people might see him and 
think him a great man. He rose up early in the morning, also, 


298 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


and stood by the gate of the city, and when he saw any man 
coming into the city, to speak with the king and ask some favor 
of him, then Absalom called the man and talked with him; and 
said, that if he were only ruler over the land, the man should 
have all that he wanted. And whenever any man bowed down 
to him, because he was the king’s son, Absalom put out his hand 
and took hold of him, and kissed him. So he did to all the 
people who came to ask help of the king, and he made them 
think much of him, not because he was a good man, or really 
cared for them, but because he deceived them and made them 
believe he was their friend. 

And he went to the king and said, I pray thee let me go to 
Hebron and pay my vow to the Lord. He pretended that he 
had made a vow to offer up a sacrifice at Hebron, and that 
now he wanted to go there and do it. And the king told him 
he might go, so he arose and went. But it was not to serve the 
Lord that he went, it was to have himself made king instead of 
his father. Therefore he sent spies through all the land to per¬ 
suade the people to put his father away, and make him king. 
And the spies told the people that, on a certain day, as soon as 
they should hear the sound of the trumpets which Absalom’s 
friends would blow, they should cry out, Absalom is king in 
Hebron. He took two hundred men with him out of Jerusalem 
to help him, and sent also for a great man named Ahithophel, 
who was David’s counsellor, or adviser. And Ahithophel and 
many of the people went with him. 

And there came a messenger to David, and told him how the 
men of Israel were going after Absalom. Then David was 
afraid, and said to his servants, Arise, and let us flee; make 
haste and go, for fear Absalom may come suddenly and fight 
against the city with the sword. His servants answered, We are 
ready to do whatever the king shall command. And the king 
fled in haste out of Jerusalem, he and his servants, and many of 
the people of the city, and they passed over the brook Kedron 
and went up toward the wilderness. 

And the priests and Levites brought the ark to carry it wdth 
David wherever he should go, but David told them to take it 


THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


299 


back into the city again. He said, that perhaps the Lord would 
be kind to him, and bring him back also, but if not he was will¬ 
ing the Lord should do to him as he saw best For David felt 
how wicked he had been in causing Uriah to be slain, and in 
taking Uriah’s wife to be his wife, and he remembered how the 
Lord had said that a great punishment should come upon him. 
And now a great punishment had come upon him, and David 
knew he deserved it, and he was willing to bear it. And he 
went out of Jerusalem over the mountain called Olivet, weeping 
as he went, with his head covered and his feet bare. And all 
the men who were with him covered their heads; and they also 
went up, weeping as they went. 

And some one told David that Ahithophel, his counsellor, had 
gone with Absalom, to help him, and advise him what he should 
do to make himself king. Then David prayed that Ahithophel’s 
advice might be turned into foolishness, so that it would not do 
Absalom any good. And when David had gone a little way out 
of the city, Hushai, one of his friends, came to meet him and go 
with him, for he loved David and was not willing to leave him. 
But David told him to go back to Jerusalem and stay there till 
Absalom should come. Then, David said, Hushai could watch 
and see what Absalom would do, and send word secretly to him; 
and so he would do David more good than if he should go with 
him. Therefore Hushai went back, as David desired him. 


CHAPTERS XVI.-XXIV. 

B. C. 1023-1017. 

SHIMEI CURSES DAVID. ABSALOM FOLLOWS HUSHAfS ADVICE, AND IS 
SLAIN IN BATTLE. DAVID GRIEVES FOR HIS SON; HE GOES BACK TO 
JERUSALEM. DAVID AND THE PEOPLE SIN AGAINST GOD. THEY ARE 
PUNISHED BY PESTILENCE. 

B UT David made haste to flee away from Jerusalem. When 
he reached a place called Bahurim, there came out a man 
named Shimei, to meet him. Shimei was one of king Saul’s rela¬ 
tives, and because David had been made king instead of Saul, 
Shimei hated him, and was glad now to see him in trouble. And 
as he came near, he cursed David and threw stones at him, and 



300 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


at those who were with him. When Abishai, David’s nephew, 
heard Shimei cursing him, he came to David, saying, Why should 
this man, who is no better than a dog, be allowed to curse my 
lord the king ? Let me go over to him, I pray thee, and cut off 
his head. But David would not permit him; for he said that 
the Lord was allowing Shimei to curse him, and that it was part 
of the punishment that the Lord was sending upon him. And 



SHIMEI CURSES DAVID. 


David said, My own son Absalom is trying to take away my 
life; how much more, then, may this man, who is my enemy, be 
expected to do me evil ? 

After David had left Jerusalem, Absalom came there, and 
Ahithophel, the man who had been David’s counsellor, was with 
him. And Absalom saw Hushai, David’s friend, in the city, 
but he did not know that David had sent him. And Absalom 
asked Ahithophel to advise him what he should do to make him- 










THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


301 


self king. Ahithophel answered, Let me choose twelve thousand 
men, and I will take them and follow after David this night, and 
will come up with him while he is weak and faint, and make him 
afraid. And all who are with him will flee, and I will kill him 
alone. Then, when they see that he is dead, those who have 
obeyed him will come and obey thee, and thou shalt be king 
over all the people. 

And this advice pleased Absalom, yet he would not do as 
Ahithophel said, until he had asked Hushai what he thought 
was the best way. Then Hushai advised him not to go out 
with so few as twelve thousand men, but to wait until he 
should have a great army. Hushai said this because he hoped 
that, w T hile Absalom was gathering this army together, David 
would have time to escape to some place where Absalom could 
not take him. 

And the Lord made Absalom believe that Hushai’s advice was 
the best, because the Lord did not mean to let David be slain, 
but he meant to bring evil upon Absalom, and to punish him, 
for his great sin in rebelling against his father. And Hushai, 
as soon as he had done talking with Absalom, went to the priests 
in Jerusalem, who were David’s friends, and spoke to them secret¬ 
ly, saying, Send a messenger quickly to David and tell him to 
make haste and cross over Jordan, lest Absalom’s army follow 
after him, to slay him and all who are w r ith him. 

Now there were two young men, sons of the priests, who were 
hiding from Absalom, at a place a little way out of the city, and 
a woman went and gave them Hushai’s message; then they 
started to take it to David. But a boy saw them and told 
Absalom, and he sent out men after them. And the priests’ sons 
came quickly to a house by the way, wdiich had a well in the 
yard. They went down there to hide, and a woman spread a 
covering over the top of the well, and sprinkled corn on the 
covering, so that no one could see that a well was there. When 
Absalom’s servants came to the house to look for them, they could 
not find them, and they went back to the city again. Then the 
young men came up out of the well, and carried Hushai’s mes¬ 
sage to David. And David, and all the men who were with him, 


302 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


passed over the river that night; by morning there was not one 
left who had not passed over Jordan. 

When Ahithophel saw that Absalom would not do as he had 
advised him, he was so displeased and ashamed that he left him 
and went away to his own house. There he put all things in 
order, and then went and hanged himself. So he died, and was 
buried in his father’s sepulchre. 

After David had passed over Jordan, and come into the land 
of Gilead, Barzillai, an old man who lived in that land, and 
others with him, brought wheat and barley, flour, parched corn, 
and honey, and butter, and sheep, for David and his men; be¬ 
cause they said, that David’s men must be hungry and weary 
after coming so far through the wilderness. 

But Absalom, as soon as he had gathered his army together, 
made haste to follow after his father. Then David counted the 
men who were with him, and set captains over them ; Joab, he 
made the chief captain. And David said, I will surely go with 
you myself also, to the battle. But the men answered, Thou 
shalt not go with us, for they will care more to take thee, than they 
will to take all the rest who shall go out against them. David 
said, Whatever seems best to you I will do: so he stayed in the 
city of Mahanaim, where he and his people had come. 

And he stood by the gate of the city while his men were going 
out to fight; as they passed by him, he spoke to all the captains, 
saying, Deal gently, for my sake, with the young man, even 
with Absalom. So the people went out, and the battle was in 
a wood. And God gave David’s army the victory, for they 
slew of Absalom’s army twenty thousand men. And Absalom 
rode on a mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of 
a great oak, and Absalom’s head was caught among the branches. 
Then the mule that was under him went away, and left him 
there, hanging above the ground. 

And a man in the army saw him, and came to Joab, and said, 
I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. Joab said to the man, Why 
didst thou not kill him ? and I would have given thee ten shekels 
of silver, and a girdle. The man answered, Though I should 
have a thousand shekels of silver, I would not kill the king’s 



ABSALOM’S DEATH 



















304 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


son, because the king commanded us all not to harm Absalom. 
Then Joab said, I cannot stay here to talk with thee. And he 
took three darts in his hand, and went to the place where Absa¬ 
lom was, and thrust the darts into his body, while he was yet 
alive, hanging in the branches of the oak: afterward ten young 
men who were servants to Joab, came and slew him. 

Then Joab blew a trumpet for the people to come back from 
following after Absalom’s army; because now, that Absalom 
himself was dead, there was no need that any more of his men 
should be slain. And they took Absalom and threw his dead 
body into a pit that was in the wood, and piled a great heap of 
stones over him. And all the men who had been with him fled 
every one to his tent. 

After the battle was over, one of the priest’s sons, whose name 
was Ahimaaz, came to Joab, and said, Let me run now into the 
city and tell the king how the Lord has punished his enemies. 
But Joab forbade him, and told another man, named Cushi, to 
go and tell the king. Then Ahimaaz said, I pray thee let me 
also run after Cushi. Joab asked him, Why dost thou want to 
go ? But he answered again, Let me run. And Joab said to 
him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by another way, and came near 
to the city before Cushi. 

And David sat at the gate of the city waiting till he should 
hear news from the battle. His watchman had gone up to the 
top of the wall to see if any one were coming, and he saw a 
man running toward the city alone. And he cried out and 
told the king: the king answered, If he is alone, he brings 
word from the army. While this man was coming near, the 
watchman saw another running, and he called, and said, An¬ 
other man is running toward the city alone. The king said, 
He also bringeth news. And the watchman said, I think the 
running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz, the priest’s 
son. The king answered, He is a good man and is bringing 
good news to us. 

Then Ahimaaz came to the king and spoke to him, saying, 
All is well. And he bowed down with his face to the earth 
before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord who has given us 



DAVID MOURNING FOR ABSALOM. 






































































306 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the victory over the men who rose up to fight against the king. 
And the king asked him, Is the young man Absalom safe ? Ahi- 
maaz answered, When Joab sent me, I saw a great tumult in the 
army, as if something had happened, but I knew not what it 
was. The king said, Step to one side, and stand there. 

Then Cushi, the other messenger, came and spoke to the king, 
saying, I have news, my lord the king; for the Lord has this 
day punished all those who rebelled against thee. And the 
king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? Cushi answered, 
May all the king’s enemies, and all those who wish to do him 
evil, be as that young man is. Then David knew that Absa¬ 
lom was dead. And he was in great distress, and went up into 
the chamber that was over the gate of the city, and wept; 
and as he went he cried, O my son Absalom! my son, my son 
Absalom! Would that God had let me die instead of thee, O 
Absalom, my son, my son ! 

And it was told Joab how the king mourned for Absalom. 
The people also heard of it, and they were afraid to come be¬ 
fore David while he grieved so much for his son whom they 
had slain. Therefore they stole into the city by another way, 
that he might not see them, like persons who were ashamed 
and fleeing from the battle, instead of those who had just 
gained the victory. But the king kept on mourning; he cov¬ 
ered his face, and cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom! 
O Absalom, my son, my son! 

And Joab was angry, and he came into the house to the king 
and said, Thou hast made ashamed, this day, all thy servants 
who have fought for thee and saved thy life, and the lives of 
thy wives and of thy children, because thou lovest thy enemies 
more than thou lovest them. For I see plainly that if Absalom 
had been saved alive, and all of us had been slain in the battle, 
it would have pleased thee well. Now, therefore, rise up and 
come and speak kindly to thy servants, for I tell thee if thou 
dost not come out to them, they will all go away and leave thee 
alone, so there will not be a man left with thee this night; and 
that will be worse for thee, than all the evil that has happened 
to thee from thy youth until now. Then the king arose and 


THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


307 


went out and sat in the gate of the city. And when the people 
knew of it they all came to him there. 

After this the people who were in Jerusalem sent word to the 
king, saying, Come back to us, thou and all who are with thee. 
So David left the city of Mahanaim, and started to go back to 
Jerusalem. 

And Shimei who had cursed David, and thrown stones at him 
when he w T as fleeing from Absalom, heard how he had gained 
the victory, and was going back to Jerusalem. Therefore Shi¬ 
mei was afraid for what he had done, and now he came out to 
meet the king. When he saw him he fell down before him, and 
said, Let not the king blame me, nor remember what I did wick¬ 
edly, for I know that I have sinned. Then Abishai, David’s 
nephew, who before had wanted to cut oft* his head, asked David, 
saying, Shall not Shimei be put to death because he cursed the 
king ? But David answered, that none of his enemies should be 
put to death that day, since on that day he was once more made 
king over all the people of Israel. And the king said to Shimei, 
Thou shaft not die. 

And as David went toward Jerusalem, Barzillai, who had 
brought him wheat and barley and flour, also came out to meet 
him. And David remembered Barzillai’s kindness, and he said 
to him, Come thou w T ith me to Jerusalem, and thou shaft live in 
my house, and I will take care of thee. But Barzillai answered, 
that he was a very old man, and had not long to live, and that 
he would not enjoy being in the king’s house, or seeing the beau¬ 
tiful things that were there; he would rather go back to his own 
city, that he might die where his home was, and be buried by 
the grave of his father and his mother. Yet, Barzillai said, that 
his son might go with David, if David would have him. David 
answered, He shall go with me, and I will do for him whatever 
will please thee. And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, 
and let him return to his own home. So David came back to 
Jerusalem, and was king as he had been before, and all the peo¬ 
ple obeyed him. 

But after these things the children of Israel sinned against 
the Lord, and David also displeased him. For he commanded 


308 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Joab to go out among the people, and number all the men who 
could fight in war. We are not told why God was displeased 
with David for doing this, but we suppose it was because David 
felt proud of his great army, and trusted in it to keep his king¬ 
dom safe, instead of trusting only in the Lord. When he com¬ 
manded Joab to number the men of Israel, Joab knew it would 
offend God, therefore he did not wish to do it, but David again 
commanded him. Bo he went out to obey the king. It took him, 
and those who were with him, nine months and twenty days to 
number the people. Then they came back to Jerusalem, and told 
David that in the tribe of Judah there were five hundred thou¬ 
sand brave men, who could fight with the sword, and in the other 
tribes there were eight hundred thousand. 

But after they had told him, David felt that he had sinned, 
and he said to the Lord, I have sinned greatly in what I have 
done; and now, I pray thee, O Lord, forgive my sin. But God 
chose to punish David and the people, that they might remember 
how they had disobeyed him, and fear to do so again. Therefore, 
when David rose up in the morning, the Lord sent the prophet 
Gad to ask him which of these punishments he would choose: 
Would he have seven years of famine in the land? Or would he 
have his enemies come, and, for three months, fight against him 
and gain the victory over him ? Or would he have three days of 
pestilence among the people ? When the prophet asked him this 
David answered, I am in great trouble to know what I shall say. 
Yet I would rather the Lord should punish us himself, than that 
he should send our enemies to do it. David meant that he chose 
the three days of pestilence. 

So the Lord sent an angel that brought a great pestilence 
among the children of Israel, and there died of them, in three 
days, seventy thousand men. Now Jerusalem was built upon 
three small mountains, or hills; one of them was called mount 
Moriah. On the top of this mountain was a threshing-floor be¬ 
longing to a man named Araunah. And the angel that the Lord 
sent, stood over Araunah’s threshing-floor, and David saw him 
standing there, between the earth and the sky, having a drawn 
sword in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem as though he 


THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 


309 


would destroy all the people in the city. And David and the 
elders of Israel, who had put on sackcloth, bowed down with their 
faces to the earth. And David prayed that the Lord would pun¬ 
ish him, alone, but that the people might be saved. Then the 
prophet Gad came to David, and told him to go and set up an 
altar to the Lord at Araunah’s threshing-floor. 

Now Araunah was threshing his wheat; when he saw the king 
coming, he went out and bowed down before him, saying, Why 



DAVID SACRIFICES ON MOUNT MORIAH. 


has my lord the king come to his servant ? David answered, To 
buy the threshing-floor of thee, that I may build an altar upon 
it and offer up burnt offerings to the Lord, so that the pestilence 
may be taken away from the people. Then Araunah told David 
that he might take the threshing-floor for nothing, and might 
have his oxen also for a burnt offering. But David said, No I 
will buy it of thee for the full price, neither will I offer up as a 
burnt offering to the Lord that which has cost me nothing. 














310 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


So David bought the threshing-floor for six hundred shekels 
of gold, and built an altar there and laid a burnt offering upon 
it. Then he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord heard his prayer 
and sent down fire from heaven that burned up his offering. And 
the Lord commanded the angel to cease, and slay the people no 
more; and the pestilence was taken from among them. 


THE BOOKS OF KINGS AND CHRONICLES. 


1 KINGS I.-VII. 1 CHRON. XXII.-XXIX. 
2 CHRON. I.-IV. 

B. C. 1017-1005. 


DAVID PREPARES FOR THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE. ADONIJAH RE¬ 
BELS. SOLOMON IS MADE KING. DAVID SPEAKS TO ALL THE PEOPLE: 
HE DIES. GOD PROMISES SOLOMON WISDOM AND RICHES. TWO WOMEN 
COME TO HIM FOR JUDGMENT. THE TEMPLE IS BUILT. 


"VT OW David was old, and the time came near for him to 
AN die. And he remembered what God had said about the 
house for the ark : that he should not build it, but that his son 
who would be king after him should build it. Yet David made 
ready stones and timber and iron for the house, and told where 
it should be built: the top of mount Moriah, he said, where 
Araunah’s threshing-floor had been, was the spot on which it 
should stand. 

And David set masons to shaping the stones, and carpenters 
to hewing beams out of cedar trees, and men to making nails out 
of iron. He gathered also much gold and silver and brass for 
the work; for he said, My son Solomon is yet young, and not 
able to attend to these things, and the house he shall build is to 
be exceedingly beautiful, and admired among all nations. 

And David gathered all the priests and the Levites together, 
and divided them up into different courses, or companies, so that 
each course might take its turn in attending to God’s worship at 
the house of the Lord, after Solomon should build it. 

And David called Solomon, and told him, that many years 
before, he himself had wanted to build the house, but the Lord 




THE BOOKS OF KINGS AND CHRONICLES. 311 


had sent him word, because he was a man of war and had shed 
much blood, that he must not build it. God did not mean to 
reprove David for going to war, for it was God who had helped 
him to gain the victory over the enemies of Israel. But God 
chose that a man of peace, and not a man of war, should build 
his house. And God had promised, David said, that Solomon 
should be a man of peace, and should be king over Israel, and 
that he should build his house. 

But David had another son, named Adonijah, who wanted 
to be king, and because his father was now old and weak, he 
thought he might be. Therefore he made a great feast for his 
friends, and persuaded them to go with him to make him king. 
When David heard of it, he commanded his servants to take 
his own mule and cause Solomon to ride upon it to a fountain 
called Gihon, that was near Jerusalem ; there, David said, they 
should anoint Solomon. Then they should blow the trumpet 
and cry out, God save King Solomon! Afterward they should 
bring him to the house where David’s throne was, that he might 
sit on the throne and be king over Israel. For on account of 
what Adonijah had done, David said he would make Solomon 
king while David himself was yet alive. 

So David’s servants did as he commanded. They took Solo¬ 
mon and made him ride on the king’s mule and brought him to 
Gihon: there they anointed him, and blew the trumpet, and all 
the people rejoiced and cried, God save King Solomon! And 
Adonijah, and the men who were with him, heard them, and 
said, What meaneth this noise among the people in the city? 
While they were speaking some one came in and told them that 
David had made Solomon king, and that all the people were 
shouting for joy. Then Adonijah was troubled, for he knew 
that he had done wickedly, and he feared that Solomon would 
kill him. And it was told Solomon that Adonijah was afraid. 
But Solomon said that if he would show himself a good man, 
no harm should be done to him; and he commanded Adonijah 
to go to his own house. 

And David, before he died, called all the princes and chief 
men of his kingdom to Jerusalem. And he told them how the 


312 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



Lord, many years before, had chosen Solomon to build the 
house for the ark; and the Lord had promised, David said, 
that if Solomon would obey his commandments, he and his 
descendants should continue to be kings over Israel. And 
David said to the princes and great men, Do you also, be very 
careful to obey the commandments of the Lord, so that you 


SOLOMON IS MADE KING. 

may keep this good land which he has given you, and leave it 
to your children when you die. And David spoke to Solomon 
before them all, saying, And thou, Solomon, my son, obey the 
God of thy father, and serve him with all thy heart; for the 
Lord looks at the heart, and knows all the thoughts. If thou 
serve him he will be thy friend, but if thou turn away from 
serving him he will cast thee off forever. 

Then David gave to Solomon patterns of the house for the 
ark, and of all the things that were to go into it; for the Lord 
had given him the patterns of all these things. David gave 
Solomon also, gold for the things that were to be made of gold, 

















THE BOOKS OF KINGS AND CHRONICLES. 313 


and silver for the things that were to be made of silver. An d 
he said to him, Be strong and do not fear to begin the house, 
for the Lord God, whom I serve, will be with thee to help thee, 
until thou shalt finish building it. 

And David called all the people together and told them that, 
because he loved to help build the house of the Lord, he had 
made ready gold and silver, brass, iron, precious stones, and 
marble, to be used in building it. Beside what he had given out 
of the spoils taken from his enemies, he gave from his own riches 
a great deal; as much as three thousand talents of the gold of 
Ophir, and seven thousand talents of pure silver, to overlay the 
walls with; and gold and silver also, for the vessels of the 
temple. And he asked the people who among them, were willing 
to give. Then they too, brought gold and silver, brass and pre¬ 
cious stones, and gave them to the Lord. 

And David thanked the Lord, before all the people, for making 
him and the people willing to give. All they gave, he said, was 
the Lord’s; for they were only giving back to the Lord what he 
had first given to them. And David prayed very earnestly for 
the people, and for Solomon his son, that the Lord would help 
them to keep on loving him, and obeying his laws. Then David 
said to all the people, Now thank the Lord your God. And 
they all bowed down their heads and worshipped. The next 
day they offered up‘sacrifices, burnt offerings and peace offerings: 
a thousand bullocks, a thousand goats, and a thousand lambs. 
And they held a feast on the flesh of their peace offerings, and 
ate and drank before the Lord with great joy and gladness. 
Then they anointed Solomon again, and made him king again, 
over the children of Israel. And Solomon sat on the throne 
and was king instead of David, his father ; and all the princes 
and mighty men, and all the people, obeyed him. 

David was king for forty years, and he died being an old 
man and honored by all the people; and they buried him in 
the city of Jerusalem. 

And Solomon feared God, and was careful to do no evil. And 
God spoke to him in a dream at night, and offered him anything 
that he desired to have. God said to him, Ask what I shall 


314 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


give thee ? Solomon answered, Give thy servant wisdom, that I 
may be able to rule well over thy people, the children of Israel. 
And God was pleased with the answer that Solomon made, and 
told him that because he had not asked for riches, or a long life, 
or the victory over his enemies, he would give him the wisdom 
he asked for, and beside this, riches and honor, more than any 
of the kings who had been before him, or who should be after 



SOLOMON’S JUDGMENT. 


him ; and if he would obey his commandments, God promised to 
give him a long life also. 

And there came two women to king Solomon, and stood be¬ 
fore him. They lived together in one house; and one of them 
spoke to the king, and said, O my lord, this woman and I live in 
one house, and we each of us had a little son. And this woman’s 
child died in the night, and she rose up at midnight, while I 











































THE BOOKS OF KINGS AND CHRONICLES. 315 


her dead child in my bed. And when I woke in the morning to 
feed my child, it was dead; but when I looked upon it, I saw it 
was not my child. 

After this woman was done speaking, the other contradicted 
her, saying, No, the living is my son, and the dead is thine. 
And the king called out to his servants, Bring here a sword! 
And they brought it. And the king said, Cut the living child 
in two, and give half to one and half to the other. Then the 
true mother of the child, because she loved it, and would not 
have it killed, said, O my lord, give her the living child, and 
on no account slay it. But the other, who pretended to be its 
mother, said, Yes, cut it in two. Then the king commanded 
that the child should be given to the woman who had pity 
upon it, because he knew that it must be hers. It was to find 
out this that he called for the sword, not because he intended 
to slay the child. 

And all the people heard of what the king had done, and 
they served him, because they saw that God had given him 
wisdom to judge aright. King Solomon was ruler not only 
over the children of Israel, but other nations that lived near 
to them, also obeyed him, and brought hjm presents of precious 
things. For David had, long before, made those nations his 
servants, and now God kept them from rebelling against Sol¬ 
omon, so that he might have peace in his kingdom as the Lord 
had promised him. And God gave Solomon great wisdom and 
riches ; he had many officers and servants, and many great men 
came to visit him in his palace. Every day there were killed 
for his table and the table of his servants, ten oxen that had 
been fatted in the stable, twenty oxen brought in from the 
field, and a hundred sheep; beside roe-bucks, deer, and fatted 
fowls. He had also forty thousand horses for his chariots, and 
twelve thousand horsemen. 

And Solomon made ready to build the house for the ark on 
mount Moriah, at the place where Araunah’s threshing-floor had 
been. He asked Hiram, king of Tyre, who had been David’s 
friend, to send his servants into the forests to cut down trees for 
the building, because Hiram’s servants knew better than Sol- 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


316 

omon’s, how to cut wood and hew timber. So Hiram sent out 
men into the forest, on a mountain called Lebanon, where cedar 
trees grew. Solomon sent many thousands of his own servants 
also, and Solomon’s servants and Hiram’s servants worked together 
in cutting down trees. Afterward they brought them to the sea, 
which was not far off, and made them into rafts and floated them 
along the shore till they came near to Jerusalem. 

And Hiram sent to Solomon a man who was skilful to work 
in gold and silver, in brass, iron, wood, and fine linen, that he 
might help him in building the house for the ark. Solomon 
gave Hiram corn, and oil, and wine, for his servants. And 
Hiram’s servants and Solomon’s servants made ready great 
stones and timbers; and Solomon began to build the house ac¬ 
cording to the pattern which David had given him. It was to 
be about a hundred feet long, thirty-three feet wide, and fifty 
feet high. In front of it was to be a porch, with its top built up 
like a steeple, or tower, far above the rest of the house. This 
tower was to be about two hundred feet high. The house had 
narrow windows in it. Against the walls, on the outside, were 
built chambers, three stories of them, one above the other, for 
the priests to live in, while they should stay attending to God’s 
worship there. 

The house was built of stone; yet each stone was hewn into its 
proper shape, and made ready to go in the wall, before it was 
brought to the place where the house was to stand ; so that no 
noise of a hammer, or axe, or any tool of iron, was heard in the 
house all the time it was building. 

When the Avails were built up, Solomon covered them on the 
inside with boards of cedar which were carved with the shapes 
of flowers. Then he covered the flowers over with gold. And 
the floor of the house and the inside of the porch, he covered 
with pure gold. And he hung up inside of the house, a curtain 
of blue and purple and crimson, called the veil, to make two 
rooms there, as had been done in the tabernacle. The innermost 
of these rooms was for the ark, and was called the most holy 
place. The walls inside of the most holy jdace were covered 
with wood, carved into shapes of cherubim, and palm trees, and 


THE BOOKS OF KINGS AND CHRONICLES. 317 



318 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


flowers. These Solomon covered with gold, and the floor also. 
And he made two cherubim fifteen feet high, first out of the 
wood of the olive tree, and then he covered them with gold. 
They stood in the most holy place, with their faces turned to the 
wall, and with their wings spread out, reaching from one side of 
the room to the other. 

And he made doors for the house out of wood of the fir tree, 



SOLOMON BUILDS THE TEMPLE. 

and carved upon them shapes of cherubim, and palm trees, and 
open flowers, and afterward covered them with gold fitted upon 
the carved work. And in different parts of the house he set pre¬ 
cious stones to make it more beautiful. 

And Solomon made two great pillars of brass, each over thirty 
feet high, to stand in front of the house, one on the right hand 
and the other on the left. And he made a brass altar, which 
was four times as large as the one that Moses had made for the 
tabernacle. He made also a great basin, or sea of brass, that 








THE BOOKS OF KINGS AND CHRONICLES. 319 


rested on the backs of twelve brass oxen. This was to hold 
water for the priests to wash their hands and their feet in, 
whenever they should go into the house, or offer up sacrifices 
on the altar, as the Lord had commanded them. And he made 
ten lavers of brass, which were set upon wheels, and could be 
moved from one place to another. These were to hold water 
for the sacrifices to be washed in. 

And Solomon made ten candlesticks of gold, and stood them 
in the house to give light there. He made also the table of 
gold for the shew-bread, and basins and spoons, and censers of 
pure gold, and hinges of gold for the doors of the house. And 
he made a court for the priests, around the house, in which the 
altar of burnt offering, and the sea that rested upon twelve oxen, 
and the ten lavers, were placed ; and another court also, outside 
of this one, for the people of Israel. He was more than seven 
years in doing the work, until all of it was finished. 


1 KINGS VIII.-XII. 2 CHRON. Y.-X. 

B. C. 1005-975. 

THE TEMPLE IS DEDICATED TO THE LORD. THE QUEEN OF SHEBA VISITS 
SOLOMON. SOLOMON MARRIES HEATHEN WIVES, WHO PERSUADE 
HIM TO WORSHIP IDOLS. HIS DEATH. THE TEN TRIBES REBEL, 
AND CHOOSE JEROBOAM FOR THEIR KING. 

rnHEN Solomon called to Jerusalem all the elders and chief 
A- men of Israel, that they might be there when the ark should 
be brought into the house. And the elders and chief men came 
and gathered together with the king, and all the people, before 
the ark. And the priests took up the ark and carried it into 
the house, into the most holy place, and set it under the wings 
of the cherubim which Solomon had made. The two tables of 
stone, with the ten commandments written on them, were in the 
ark. And when the priests came out of the most holy place, 
after they had left the ark there, a cloud filled the house of the 
Lord, so that the priests could not go into it, because the glory 
of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 

Then the king stood up before the people, and thanked God 
for helping him build the house; and he asked God to take that 



320 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


house for his Temple. And Solomon kneeled down before all 
the people, and spread out his hands toward heaven, and prayed 
to the Lord that he would hear and answer all the prayers which 
the children of Israel should make in that house. If ever their 
enemies should come, and gain the victory over them, because 



SOLOMON BRINGS THE ARK INTO THE TEMPLE. 


of their sins, or if the Lord should punish them by not sending 
rain on their fields, so that their seed, their vines, and their fruit, 
would not grow; if pestilence should come into the land, or 
locusts, or caterpillars, to eat their grain ; whatever trouble or 
whatever sickness they might have, Solomon asked that, when 































THE BOOKS OF KINGS AND CHRONICLES. 321 

the people should come to that house and spread forth their 
hands in prayer, the Lord would hear them. 

After Solomon had finished speaking, there came down fire 
from heaven, and burnt up the offering which lay on the altar. 
When all the children of Israel saw the fire come down, and saw 



SOLOMON DEDICATES THE TEMPLE. 

the glory of the Lord in the house, they bowed with their faces 
to the ground, upon the pavement, and worshipped the Lord, 
saying, For he is good ; for his mercy is with us forever. 

Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices. Solomon 
gave, for peace offerings, twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hun¬ 
dred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the peo- 
21 




















































322 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


pie dedicated, or gave, the house to the Lord, that it might be 
his Temple, where his ark should be kept and where sacrifices 
should always be offered up to him. And Solomon held a great 
feast for fourteen days and invited all the people to it; and they 
came and feasted on the flesh of the peace offerings which he had 
given. Afterward he sent them to their homes, and they went 
away with joyful hearts, thanking the Lord for his kindness to 
king Solomon, and to all the children of Israel. 

And the Lord spoke to Solomon in the night, and said, that 
he had heard his prayer, and would take the house to be his 
Temple. And he promised that when the children of Israel 
should sin against him, and he should punish them for their sin, 
if they would repent and come to that house and pray to him, 
he would forgive them and take their punishment away. And 
he promised again, that if Solomon would obey him, he should 
be king as long as he lived, and his descendants should be kings 
over Israel after him. 

Yet, the Lord said, that if Solomon and the people should turn 
away from serving him and go to serve other gods, he would 
bless them no longer, but would drive them out of the good land 
which he had given them ; and that house which was so glorious, 
and beautiful now, he would no more have for his temple, but 
would destroy it, so that all who should pass by it would be 
astonished, and ask, Why has the Lord done such things to 
this land and to this house ? And the answer w T ould be, Because 
the people disobeyed the Lord God of their fathers, who brought 
them up out of Egypt, and chose other gods and worshipped 
them and served them. 

Beside building the temple, Solomon built a palace for himself 
in Jerusalem. He built store cities also, in which to keep his 
riches and goods; and cities for his chariots. He made the 
heathen people, who were still left in the land, his servants; but 
of the men of Israel, he made soldiers and captains and horsemen. 

And Solomon sent to the temple, the different courses, or com¬ 
panies, of the priests and the Levites which his father had 
appointed to attend to God’s worship there; and he sent the 
porters to watch at the gates. He commanded that sacrifices 


THE BOOKS OF KINGS AND CHRONICLES. 323 



should be offered up on the morning and evening of each day, on 
the Sabbath days, and at the three great feasts which the chil¬ 
dren of Israel were commanded to keep every year ; the feast of 
the passover, the feast of harvest, and the feast of tabernacles. 

And the queen of a far-off country called Sheba, heard of his 
wisdom and his knowledge of the true God. And she came to 
visit him. She brought with her a great company of servants, 
with camels carrying costly spices, such as grew in her country, 
and gold and precious stones. And she talked with Solomon and 


THE QUEEN OF SHEBA VISITS SOLOMON. 

asked him hard questions about things that she wanted to know. 
And Solomon answered all her questions, and explained to her 
everything that she asked him. And when she looked on the 
palace that Solomon had built, and the costly food that was upon 
his table; the number of his servants that waited on him, and 
the beautiful pathway he had made to go up to the temple; she 
wondered at all these things, and said, that she had not believed 








324 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


what she heard in her own land of his riches and wisdom, but 
now she saw that the half was not told her. And she gave to 
Solomon presents of gold, and spices, and precious stones, and 
Solomon gave her costly presents also. Then she turned, she 
and her servants, and went back to her own land. 

Solomon was wiser than all the other kings of the earth, and 
they came to him to be taught of his wisdom. He made a 
great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold; there were 
six steps leading to the top of the throne, and a footstool of gold 
was fastened upon it. On the steps were the figures of tw T elve 
lions, six on one side and six on the other. There was not such 
a throne made in any other kingdom. And all the cups that 
Soloman drank out of, and all the vessels that were in his house, 
-were made of pure gold. For his ships sailed to a far country 
called Tarshish, and every three years came back, bringing him 
gold and silver, ivory, apes and peacocks. 

But Solomon had many wives, and he took for his wives heathen 
women, whom the Lord had commanded the children of Israel not 
to marry. And when he grew old, his wives persuaded him to 
worship idols, so that he did not continue serving God as David 
his father had done. For David, after he had sinned, repented 
and asked to be forgiven, and worshipped the Lord alone. But 
Solomon went with his heathen wives after their idols, and he 
even built temples to worship those idols in. And the Lord 
was angry with him, and said, that because he had done these 
things, his son should not be king over the children of Israel 
after Solomon himself should die. Yet for David’s sake, the 
Lord would not take away all of the kingdom from Solomon’s 
son, but would make him king over two of the tribes of Israel. 
And the Lord raised up enemies against Solomon, to trouble 
him because of his sin. 

Now there was among the children of Israel a young man 
named Jeroboam. One day, as he went out of Jerusalem, a 
prophet met him; he was wearing a new garment, and they two 
were alone in the field. And the prophet took hold of the new 
garment that he wore, and tore it in twelve pieces. Then he told 
Jeroboam to take ten of the pieces, because the Lord was going 


THE BOOKS OF KINGS AND CHRONICLES. 325 


to make him king over ten of the tribes of Israel. When Sol¬ 
omon heard this he tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled 
into Egypt and stayed in that land. 

Solomon was king over Israel forty years, and he died and was 
buried in Jerusalem. And when the people saw that he was 



SOLOMON WORSHIPS IDOLS. 

dead, they sent word to Jeroboam, in Egypt, and Jeroboam came 
back to the land of Israel. Then he and all the people came to 
Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, to make him their king. But first 
they talked with him, and complained that his father had ruled 
over them harshly and treated them cruelly, and they asked 
Rehoboam if he would not treat them more kindly than his 
father had done; if he would do so, they said, they would serve 
him. Rehoboam told them to go away and come to him again 
in three days, and then he would tell them what he would do. 
So they went away. 

After they had gone Rehoboam asked advice from the old 
men who had been friends of his father. And they advised him 










326 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



to speak gently to the people, and promise that he would be 
kind to them; if he would do this, they said, the people would 
choose him for their king, and be his servants forever. But 
Rehoboam was not satisfied with the good advice that the old 
men gave him ; he asked the young men also, who had grown up 
with him, what they would advise him to do. And the young 
men told him to speak roughly to the people, and say, that if 
his father had been cruel to them, he would be yet more cruel, 
and if his father had punished them a little, he would punish 
them a great deal. 

So the people came again in three days, and Jeroboam was 
with them. And Rehoboam spoke roughly to them, as the young 


JEROBOAM AND THE PEOPLE REBEL AGAINST REHOBOAM. 

men had advised him; he said, If my father has been cruel to 
you I will be yet more cruel, and if he punished you a little I 
will punish you a great deal. Then the people went away in 
great anger, and said that Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, should not 
rule over them, but Jeroboam should be their king. Yet the 








THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 327 


tribe of Judah still kept Rehoboam for their king, and the tribe 
of Benjamin also. But the other tribes chose Jeroboam. So 
Jeroboam was made king over ten tribes, as the prophet had 
told him. 

When Rehoboam saw that the ten tribes had gone from him, 
he sent a messenger to them, asking them to come back and be 
his servants ; but they stoned the messenger with stones and 
killed him. Then Rehoboam made haste and called together all 
the men of Judah and of Benjamin, one hundred and eighty 
thousand of them, and gathered them into an army to go out 
and fight against the ten tribes. But God sent a prophet to tell 
them that they should not fight against ‘their brethren, the 
children of Israel, but should go to their own homes. And 
they obeyed the Lord, and went to their own homes again. 

So now there were two kings ruling over the children of Is¬ 
rael. Until this time, one king had ruled over them all, first 
Saul, then David, and then Solomon. But now Solomon’s son, 
Rehoboam, was king over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, 
and Jeroboam was king over the other ten tribes. Rehoboam’s 
kingdom was called the kingdom of Judah, and Jeroboam’s the 
kingdom of Israel. 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 


1 KINGS XII.-XVII. 

B. C. 975-910. 


JEROBOAM SETS UP GOLDEN CALVES FOR THE PEOPLE TO WORSHIP. A 
PROPHET FORETELLS JOSIAH’S BIRTH. THE PROPHET IS SLAIN BY A 
LION. JEROBOAM DIES. NADAB, BAASHA, ELAH, ZIMRI, OMRI, AND 
AHAB REIGN OVER ISRAEL. ELIJAH FORETELLS A FAMINE. THE 
RAVENS FEED HIM. HE RAISES THE WIDOW’S SON TO LIFE. 

A S soon as the ten tribes had chosen Jeroboam king, they left 
Rehoboam and went away to their own homes. Then Jero¬ 
boam said to himself, If the people of the ten tribes shall go up 
to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, and worship at the temple, they 
will some day put me away from being their king. For at Jeru¬ 
salem they will see Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, and will want to 




328 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


serve him, but me they will put to death. Therefore Jeroboam 
made two calves of gold, and set them up in that part of the land 
which belonged to the ten tribes. And he said to the people, It 
is too far for you to go to Jerusalem to worship. See these idols 
of gold, they are your gods; worship them, for it was they that 
brought your fathers up out of Egypt. 

And he built houses for the idols, one at Bethel, and the other 
at Dan, in different parts of the land, and the people w r ent there 
to worship them. He made a feast also for the people to keep 
at Bethel, instead of the feasts which the Lord had commanded 
them to keep at Jerusalem. And Jeroboam chose wicked men 
for priests to his idols, to stay at the idols’ houses and offer up 
sacrifices to them, but he would not allow the priests of the Lord 
to offer up sacrifices to God. Therefore all the priests and the 
Levites who were living in the land of the ten tribes, left that 
land and came to Jerusalem to live; and many other persons 
who would not worship the calves, came with them and chose 
Kehoboam for their king. 

But Jeroboam did very wickedly, for he prevented the people 
of the ten tribes from going to Jerusalem, -where God had com¬ 
manded them to wor¬ 
ship, and he taught 
them to worship the 
golden calves which 
he had set up. And 
the people also sin¬ 
ned with him, for 
they willingly obeyed 
him, and worshipped 
the calves, and did 
not any more go to 
Jerusalem to worship 
the Lord. 

And one day Jero¬ 
boam was standing in 
his idol’s house, by the altar of incense, to burn incense to the 
calf which was at Bethel. And there came to him a prophet 



THE GOLDEN CALF AT BETHEL. 













THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 329 


out of the land of Judah, who said that a king should be born in 
Judah, named Josiah, who would come and burn men’s bones on 
that altar, to defile, or spoil it, and make it unclean. This was not 
to happen for many years, and yet, that Jeroboam might know 
it would surely come true, the prophet said, the altar should be 
broken and its ashes emptied on the ground that very day. 

Then Jeroboam was angry at what the prophet said, and 
stretched out his hand to take hold of him; but while it was 
stretched out, the Lord made it grow stiff and withered, in a 
moment, so that he could not draw it back to him again. The 
altar was broken also, as the prophet had said, and its ashes 
were scattered on the ground. When Jeroboam saw w T hat the 
Lord had done to him, he begged the prophet to pray that his 
hand might be made w r ell. And the prophet prayed for him, 
and his hand was made well. Then Jeroboam said to the prophet, 
Come home with me and rest thyself, and I will give thee a re¬ 
ward. But the prophet answered, Though thou wouldst give 
me half of all the riches in thy house, I will not go with thee, 
neither will I eat bread nor drink w T ater in this place. For so 
the Lord commanded me, saying, Eat no bread nor drink water 
there, nor come back by the same way that thou goest. 

So the prophet turned to come back by another way, to the 
land of Judah. Now there was living at Bethel an old man 
who also was a prophet. And his sons came and told him 
of all that the prophet from Judah had done. Then the old 
prophet at Bethel asked them which way he went, for his sons 
had seen the road he had taken. When he heard, he said to 
them, Saddle the ass for me; and they saddled it, and the old 
man followed after the prophet. 

And he came up with him, and found him sitting under 
an oak, and said to him, Art thou the prophet that came 
from Judah? He answered, I am. Then the old man said, 
Come home with me and eat bread. But the prophet from 
Judah said, I may not go with thee, nor eat bread nor drink 
water in this place, for the Lord has commanded me, saying, 
Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor come back 
by the way that thou goest. Then the old man said to him, 


330 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



But I also am a prophet, and an angel spoke to me, saying, 
Bring him back with thee to thy house, that he may eat bread 
and drink water. Yet the old prophet lied to him, for no angel 
had spoken these words. 

Now the prophet from Judah ought not to have listened to 
what the old man said, for the Lord himself had commanded 
the prophet from Judah what he must do. Yet he listened to 
the old man's words and went back with him, and did eat bread 
and drink water in his house. And the Lord was angry at his 
disobedience, and while they sat at the table, the Lord made the 
old man speak to the prophet from Judah, and tell him, that 


A LION KILLS THE PROPHET PROM JUDAH. 

because he had disobeyed the Lord and come back to Bethel, 
and had eaten bread and drunk water there, he should not, when 
he died, be buried in his father’s sepulchre. 

So after he had eaten and drunk, he started to go back to the 
land of Judah. But as he went, a lion met him and slew him, 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 331 


and his dead body lay in the road, and the ass on which he had 
ridden stood by it, and the lion also. And some men passed 
that way, and saw the dead body in the road and the lion 
standing by it; and they came and told it in Bethel, where the 
old prophet lived. When he heard it, he said, It is the prophet 
from Judah who disobeyed the command of the Lord, therefore 
the Lord has given him to the lion, which has slain him, so 
that he shall not be buried in the sepulchre of his fathers, 
as the Lord said. 

And the old man spoke to his sons, saying, Saddle the ass 
for me; and they saddled it. And he went to the place where 
the prophet had been slain, and found his dead body lying in 
the way, and the ass and the lion standing by it. The lion 
had not eaten the body nor killed the ass. And the old man 
took up the prophet’s dead body, and laid it upon the ass and 
brought it to Bethel, and he buried it in his own grave. Then 
he said to his sons, When I am dead, bury me in the sepulchre 
where the prophet of Judah is buried; lay my bones beside 
his bones, for the words that he spoke against the altar in 
Bethel shall surely come true. 

At that time the son of king Jeroboam grew sick, and Jero¬ 
boam said to his wife, Put on other raiment, that no one may 
know thee, and go to Shiloh, to the prophet who told me I 
should be king; take him a present of ten loaves of bread and 
a cruse of honey, and he will tell thee whether the child shall 
get well. And Jeroboam’s wife did as he said. She put on 
other raiment and went to Shiloh, and came to the prophet’s 
house. Now the prophet was old and could not see, for his eyes 
were dim. But the Lord had told him that the wife of Jero¬ 
boam was coming to ask about her son. 

So when he heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the 
door, he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why dost thou 
pretend to be another woman ? for I have to tell thee sad tidings. 
Go, say to Jeroboam, thus saith the Lord, I raised thee up from 
among the people, and made thee king over ten of the tribes 
of Israel; I took those ten tribes away from Solomon’s son and 
gave them to thee. Yet thou hast not obeyed my command- 


332 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


ments, but hast done wickedly, for thou hast turned away from 
serving me and made other gods. Therefore 1 will send evil 
upon thee and thy family, until not one of them is left alive. 

And after they are dead they 
shall not be buried in the grave, 
as the families of other kings are 
buried; but those that die in the 
city the dogs shall eat, and those 
that die out in the field the birds 
of the air shall eat; for so the 
Lord has said it shall be. Go 
back therefore to thy own house, 
and as thou goest, thy child 
shall die. And all the people 
shall mourn for him and bury 
him; for he is the only one of 
Jeroboam’s family who shall be 
buried in the grave 

So Jeroboam’s wife rose up and went from the prophet’s house 
to her own home, and as she came in at the door the child died. 
And they buried him, and all Israel mourned for him as the 
prophet had said. Jeroboam reigned, that is, he was king, for 
twenty-two .years; and he died and Nadab his son was made 
king in his place. 

Nadab did not serve God, but worshipped the golden calves 
which his father had set up. He went with his army against 
the Philistines and besieged one of their cities. To besiege a city 
is to set soldiers around it, who will let no one come out or go 
in; but will fight against it, and prevent food or help from 
being brought to the people, until the city is taken. And 
Nadab besieged a city of the Philistines. While he was there 
and after he had been king for two years, a man named Baasha 
rebelled against him and slew him; and Baasha was made king 
over the ten tribes of Israel. 

Baasha put every one of Jeroboam’s family to death; so the 
words of the prophet came true, which he spoke to Jeroboam’s 
wife when he told her, that the Lord would bring evil on Jero- 



THE PROPHET AT SHILOH. 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 333 


boam and his family, until not one of them was left alive. 
Yet Baasha did not kill them because they were wicked, or 
because the Lord’s prophet had spoken these words, but because 
he w T anted to rule over the people himself. For Baasha was 
wicked also, and he too worshipped the golden calves. He was 
king for twenty-four years; and he died, and Elah, his son, was 
made king in his place. 

Elah lived in the city of Tirzah where his father had lived. 
He reigned for two years; then as he was drinking himself 
drunk in the house of his chief servant, Zimri the captain of 
half his chariots, came into the house and killed him; and 
Zimri made himself king. Now the men of Israel were away, 
fighting against the Philistines at this time, but as soon as they 
heard what Zimri had done, they said that he should not rule 
over them, and they chose Omri, their captain, for king. Then 
Omri and the men of Israel came to Tirzah, where Zimri was, 
and besieged it. When Zimri saw they were about to gain the 
victory over him and take the city, he went into the king’s 
palace, and setting it on fire, burnt himself up there. Zimri 
was king for only seven days. 

Omri, after he was made king, bought a hill called the hill of 
Samaria, for two talents of silver; and he built a city on it which 
he called the city of Samaria. In this city Omri lived, and the 
kings of Israel who reigned after him, continued to live there as 
long as their kingdom lasted—for nearly two hundred years. 
But Omri also sinned, for he worshipped the golden calves* and 
encouraged the people to worship them. He was king for twelve 
years, and he died, and was buried in Samaria, the city which he 
had built; and Ahab his son was made king in his stead. 

Up to this time, six kings had ruled over the ten tribes of 
Israel, and every one of them had been wicked. But the Bible 
tells us that Ahab, Omri’s son, was more wicked than all who 
had ruled before him. He took for his wife the daughter of a 
heathen king. Her name was Jezebel, and she worshipped the 
idol Baal. And Ahab built a house, or temple, for the idol, 
in the city of Samaria. He chose wicked men also, to stay 
there and offer up sacrifices to the idol. These men he called 


334 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



rain in the land of Israel. No rain should come there, the Lord 
said, until Elijah should ask for it. As this would make Ahab 
very angry at Elijah, the Lord told the prophet, after he had 
spoken these words, to flee away where Ahab could not find him. 
Go, the Lord said, and hide by a brook that is in the wilderness. 


priests, or prophets, of Baal. And Ahab set up an image and 
an altar, and he made the people of Israel worship Baal as 
the heathen nations did. 

And the Lord was displeased with Ahab and sent the prophet 
Elijah to tell him that there should not, for years, be any more 


ELTJAH FED BY THE RAVENS. 







THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 335 



Thou shalt drink of the water of the brook, and I have com¬ 
manded the ravens to feed thee there. So Elijah went and hid 
by the brook ; and he drank of the water, and the ravens brought 


ELIJAH ASKS THE WIDOW FOR BREAD. 

him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the 
evening. But after a while, because there had been no rain, the 
brook dried up and a great famine came in the land. 

Then the Lord said to him, Arise, and go to the city of 
















336 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Zarephath, for I have commanded a widow woman there to feed 
thee. And Elijah arose and went. When he came to the gate 
of the city, the woman was gathering sticks, and he called to her 
and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a little water in a cup, that I 
may drink. As she was going he called to her again, and said, 
Bring me, I pray thee, a piece of bread in thy hand. She an¬ 
swered, As surely as the Lord thy God liveth, I have no bread, 
but only a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse; 
and now I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and bake 
it, for me and my son to eat, before we starve. 

But Elijah said to her, Fear not; go and bake it, as thou hast 
said, but make a little cake for me first and bring it. After that 
make more for thee and thy son. For the Lord says, that 
although there is but little of the meal and of the oil, yet they 
shall last until the famine ceases in the land. And she went and 



ELIJAH RAISES THE WIDOW’S SON. 


did as Elijah commanded; and afterward she, and he, and her 
son, did eat for a whole year, and the Lord made the meal and 
the oil last all that time. 

After this the son of the woman grew sick, and his sickness 
was so great that he died. When she told Elijah of it, he said, 
Give me thy son. And he took him out of her arms, and 






















THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 337 


carried him up into his own chamber and laid him on his bed. 
And Elijah cried to the Lord, and said, O Lord, hast thou 
brought evil upon the woman in whose house I stay, by slaying 
her son ? I beseech thee, O Lord, let the child’s soul come into 
him again. And the Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and sent the 
soul of the child into him again, so that he lived. And Elijah 
took him, and brought him down out of his chamber and gave 
him to his mother. 


1 KINGS XVIII., XIX. 

B. C. 906. 

ELIJAH SHOWS HIMSELF TO AHAB. HE SLAYS BAAL’S PROPHETS AT 
MOUNT CARMEL, AND PRAYS FOR RAIN. JEZEBEL SEEKS TO SLAY 
ELIJAH. HE FLEES INTO THE WILDERNESS. GOD SPEAKS TO HIM AT 
HOREB. ELIJAH CALLS ELISHA TO FOLLOW HIM. 


IVT OW there were in the land of Israel many other prophets of 
■Li the Lord, beside Elijah, whom the Lord had sent to teach 
the people. But Jezebel, the wicked wife of Ahab, hated them 
and tried to kill them. Then Obadiah, the chief servant in 
Ahab’s house, because he was a good man and feared the Lord, 
took a hundred of the Lord’s prophets and hid them in caves, 
where Jezebel could not find them, and he sent them bread to 
eat and water to drink. 

After the famine had lasted for more than three years, the 
Lord spoke to Elijah, and said, Go, show thyself to king Ahab, 
and I will send rain on the land. And Elijah started to go. 
But Ahab did not know that Elijah was coming, or that the 
Lord was going to send rain. So he called Obadiah, his chief 
servant, and said to him, Go and look wherever there are any 
brooks, or springs of water, perhaps we may find grass enough 
there to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose them not 
all by the famine. And Ahab and Obadiah went out to search 
all through the land : Ahab went one way by himself, and Oba¬ 
diah went another way by himself. 

And as Obadiah went on his way, Elijah met him, and Oba¬ 
diah knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou my lord 
Elijah? Elijah said, I am. Go tell king Ahab that Elijah is 
here. But Obadiah answered, There is no nation or kingdom 


22 



338 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


where Ahab has not sent to seek for thee. And now, as soon 
as I have gone to tell him that thou art here, the Lord will carry 
thee away, I know not where, and hide thee, and when Ahab 
shall come and cannot find thee, he will kill me. But Elijah 
answered, As surely as the Lord liveth, I will show myself to 
Ahab this day. So Obadiah went and told Ahab, and Ahab 
came to meet Elijah. And when he saw him, he said, Art thou 
he that troubleth the people of Israel ? He said this because he 
blamed Elijah for the famine. But Elijah answered, I am not 
the one who troubles Israel, but thou and thy family, because 
you have forsaken the Lord and have served Baal. 

Then Elijah told Ahab to send and gather all the people at 
mount Carmel, and to bring there also, all the priests, or proph¬ 
ets, of Baal, four hundred and fifty men. So Ahab sent word 
to all the people, and gathered them and Baal’s prophets to¬ 
gether, at mount Carmel. And Elijah came there and spoke 
to the people, saying, How long will you be in deciding whom 
you will serve ? If the Lord be God, obey him; but if Baal 
be God, then obey him. And the people heard what Elijah 
said, but they answered him not a word. 

Then Elijah told the people that he was the only prophet 
of the Lord who was left in the land, because all the rest had 
been killed or made to flee away for their lives, but Baal’s 
prophets, he said, were four hundred and fifty men. And Elijah 
said, Bring two bullocks, and let Baal’s prophets choose one of 
them and kill it and lay it on Baal’s altar, but not put any fire 
under it. And I will take the other bullock and kill it, and 
lay it on the Lord’s altar, and not put any fire under it. Then 
they shall pray to Baal to send down fire from heaven, and I 
will pray to the Lord ; and the one that sends down fire to burn 
up his offering, he shall be God. And all the people answered 
that it should be as Elijah said. 

And Baal’s prophets chose their bullock and killed it, and laid 
it on the wood on the altar, but put no fire under it. Then they 
cried out to their idol from morning till noon, saying, O Baal, 
hear us! and they leaped up and down at their altar. But no 
voice answered them, neither did any fire come down to burn up 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 339 


their offering. And, about noon, Elijah mocked them, and said, 
Call louder upon your god, for perhaps he is talking to some one 
and cannot hear, or has gone away from his home on a journey, 
or is asleep and must be awaked. And they cried to Baal until 
the evening, and cut themselves with knives till the blood gushed 
out, as the heathen nations used to do, hoping it would make 
their idols answer them. But no answer came. 

Then Elijah called all the people to come near to him, and 
they came near. And he took twelve stones and built up the 
altar of the Lord which had been broken down, and he made a 
trench, or trough, around it. And he put the wood on the altar, 
and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he 
said to the people, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on 
the burnt sacrifice and on the wood. When they had done it, 
he said, Do it a second time. And they did it a second time. 
And he said, Do it a third time. And they did it the third 
time. And the water ran down over the sacrifice and over the 
wood, and filled the trench around the altar. 

And in the evening, at the time when the priests at the temple 
used every day to offer up a lamb for a burnt offering, Elijah 
came near to the altar and prayed to the Lord, saying, Hear 
me, O Lord, hear me, so that this people may know thou art the 
true God, and that thou dost call them from serving idols to serve 
thee again. Then the fire of the Lord fell from heaven upon 
the altar and burnt up the bullock and the wood, and the stones 
of which the altar was made, and licked up the water that was 
in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their 
faces, and said, The Lord, he is God! The Lord, he is God! And 
Elijah said to them, Take the prophets of Baal, let not one of 
them escape. And the people took them; and Elijah brought 
them down to the brook Kishon and slew them there; for so the 
Lord commanded it should be done to all those who taught the 
people to serve idols and forsake him. 

Then Elijah spoke to king Ahab, and told him that now he 
might go and eat and drink, for the rain was coming and the 
famine would soon be ended. So Ahab went to a place a little 
way off on the mountain, to eat and drink, there. But Elijah 


340 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


went up to the top of mount Carmel, and kneeled down with his 
face to the ground, and prayed that God would send the rain. 
After he had prayed, he said to his servant, Go up now and 
look toward the sea. And the servant went up to a place still 
higher on the mount, and looked, but came back and said, I see 
nothing. Elijah said, Go again seven times. And at the seventh 
time he came, saying, There rises up, out of the sea, a little cloud 
as large as a man’s hand. 

Then Elijah knew that the Lord was sending the rain. So 
he said to his servant, Go, say unto Ahab, Make ready thy 
chariot and get thee down from the mountain, lest the rain 
stop thee. While his servant was going, the little cloud rose 
up from the sea, and grew larger, till all the sky was black 
with clouds and wind, and there was a very great rain. And 
Ahab rode in his chariot and went to the city of Jezreel. And 
the Lord gave Elijah strength to run before the chariot till he 
came to the gate of the city. 

And Ahab told his wife, Jezebel, of all that Elijah had done, 
and how he had slain the prophets of Baal w r ith the sword. Then 
Jezebel was very angry, and she sent word to Elijah, saying, Let 
the gods (that is, the idols which she worshipped) slay me also, if 
I do not put thee to death by to-morrow about this time. When 
Elijah heard these words he was greatly afraid, and made haste 
to flee for his life, and came to the city of Beer-sheba in the land 
of Judah. There he left his servant, but he went on another 
day’s journey to hide in the wilderness. 

And he sat down under a juniper tree, and asked that he might 
die, saying, Now, O Lord, take away my life. For he was weary 
of fleeing from his enemies. But he did wrong in asking that he 
might die. God had sent the ravens to feed him in the famine, 
and had saved him from Ahab, and the wicked prophets of Baal. 
Elijah should have remembered these things, and not been afraid, 
but willing to wait patiently until the Lord was ready to take 
him to heaven. And we shall see afterward, what glorious things 
he would have missed, if the Lord had allowed him to die, as he 
asked, there alone in the wilderness. 

And he fell asleep. As he lay sleeping under the juniper 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 341 


tree, an angel came and touched him and said to him, Arise 
and eat. And Elijah looked, and saw a cake that was baked 
on some coals of fire near him, and a cruse of water by his 
head. And he ate and drank, and lay down and slept again. 


ELIJAH FED BY THE ANGEL. 

And the angel of the Lord came a second time and touched him, 
and told him to eat, so that he might have strength for the jour¬ 
ney that was before him. And he rose up and ate and drank; 
and the Lord gave him strength, from that food, to go forty 
days and forty nights, until he came to mount Horeb. 

And he went into a cave on the mountain, and lay down and 


















342 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


slept there. And the Lord spoke to him, saying, What doest 
thou here, Elijah? Elijah answered, The children of Israel 

have broken their promise 
to obey thy law, and have 
thrown down thy altars, and 
slain thy prophets with the 
sword; I am the only one 
left, and they seek to slay 
me also. Then the Lord 
passed by the cave where 
Elijah was. But first there 
came a great and strong wind 
before him, that tore up the 
earth on the mountain, and 
broke the rocks in pieces; but 
And after the wind came an 
earthquake that shook the ground; but the Lord was not in 
the earthquake. And after the earthquake came a fire; but the 
Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small 
voice. When Elijah heard it he knew that God was there; 
and he wrapt his face in his mantle, for he was afraid to 
look upon God. And God called him to come out and stand 
upon the mountain. And Elijah went out and stood at the 
mouth of the cave. 

And the Lord asked him, as he had done before, What doest 
thou here, Elijah ? Elijah, answered, The children of Israel 
have broken their promise to obey thy law; they have thrown 
down thine altars and slain thy prophets with the sword; I 
am the only one left, and they seek to slay me also. But the 
Lord told Elijah that he was not the only one left who served 
him. I have yet seven thousand persons in the land of Israel, 
the Lord said, who have never bowed their knees to the idol 
Baal. Then the Lord commanded Elijah to leave the cave 
and go back, by the way that he came, toward the wilderness 
of Damascus, and as he went, to anoint Elisha to be prophet in 
his place; because the time was coming near when the Lord 
would take up Elijah to heaven. 





THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 343 



ELIJAH THROWS HIS MANTLE ON ELISHA. 














344 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


So Elijah went back as the Lord commanded him; on the 
way he saw Elisha ploughing w T ith his oxen in the field. And 
Elijah came near to him, and as he passed by, threw his man¬ 
tle, or coat, on Elisha. And the Lord made Elisha under¬ 
stand that this meant he should leave his home and go with 
Elijah. And Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and 
said to him, Let me go first, I pray thee, and kiss my father 
and my mother farewell, and then I will come with thee. So 
Elisha returned to his home to bid his father and mother fare¬ 
well, but afterward he came to Elijah and went with him and 
waited on him, and was his servant. 


1 KINGS XX.-XXII. 2 KINGS I. 

B. C. 901-890. 


AHAB GAINS THE VICTORY OVER THE SYRIANS, BUT LETS BENHADAD GO. 
HE TAKES NABOTH’S VINEYARD. JEHOSHAPHAT GOES OUT TO BATTLE 
WITH AHAB. AHAB IS SLAIN. AHAZIAH REIGNS. HE SENDS SOL¬ 
DIERS TO TAKE ELIJAH, AND THEY ARE BURNED UP BY FIRE FROM 
HEAVEN. AHAZIAH’S DEATH. 


A ND Benhadad, the king of a country called Syria, gathered 
all his army together and went up to fight against the city 
of Samaria, where Ahab, the king of Israel, lived. And he sent 
messengers to Ahab, saying, Thy silver and thy gold, and thy 
wives and thy children, even those thou lovest best, are mine. 
When Ahab heard this he was afraid, and answered that Benha¬ 
dad might take all those things. And Benhadad sent messengers 
again to Ahab, and said, Although thou wilt give me all thy silver 
and gold, and thy wives and thy children, these are not enough. 
But to-morrow I will send my servants, and they shall search thy 
house, and whatever they find there that thou dost value most, 
they shall take away from thee and bring to me. Then Ahab 
called all the elders of Israel to him, and told them the words 
that Benhadad had spoken. And the elders answered that Ahab 
should not allow Benhadad to do as he said. 

When Benhadad heard this, he sent word to Ahab that he 
had with him a great army and that he would come and take 
the city of Samaria. But Ahab replied, that he should not 
boast beforehand as if he had already gained the victory. Then 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 345 


Benhadad was very angry, and said to his soldiers, Make ready 
for the battle. And they made ready. And the Lord sent a 
prophet to Ahab who told him not to fear, but to go out against 
the Syrians with only seven thousand men. So Ahab went out 
against them, as the prophet said, and Benhadad and his cap¬ 
tains were drinking themselves drunk in their tents. And Ahab 
and his seven thousand men fought against them, and the Syr¬ 
ians fled. When Benhadad saw that his army had fled, he 
escaped on a horse with some of his horsemen. 

And the prophet spoke to Ahab a second time, and told 
him, that Benhadad would come up the next year against 
Samaria again. And what the prophet said proved true. For 
Benhadad’s servants persuaded him to gather together another 
army as great as the first, and he came up with it, and his sol¬ 
diers filled the country. But the men of Israel, when they 
went out against him, seemed only like two little flocks of kids, 
there were so few of them. After seven days the battle began, 
and the Lord gave the men of Israel the victory this time also, 
for they slew of the Syrians a hundred thousand men. The 
rest escaped to the city of Aphek, and there a great wall fell 
upon twenty-seven thousand of them. But Benhadad fled into 
the city and hid in a secret chamber. 

And his servants came to him and said, We have heard that 
the kings of Israel are merciful kings, let us, we pray thee, put 
on sackcloth, to show that we humble ourselves, and then go 
out to the king of Israel and ask him to save thy life; perhaps 
he may let thee live. So they put on sackcloth, and came to 
Ahab, saying, Thy servant Benhadad says, I pray thee let me 
live. Ahab answered, Was he not killed in the battle? When 
he heard that he was yet alive, he told them to go and bring him. 
Then Benhadad came out to him, and Ahab took that wicked 
king up into his chariot and because Benhadad promised to give 
him some cities, Ahab allowed him to return to his own land. 
But God was angry with Ahab for doing this. He had given 
Ahab the victory over Benhadad that Ahab might put him to 
death. And now God sent a prophet to Ahab who spoke to him, 
and said, Because thou hast let this man go, whom I meant thou 


346 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


sliouldst utterly destroy, therefore thy life shall go for his life 
and thou shalt be slain instead of him. 

After this there was a man named Naboth, who had a vine- 



NABOTH REFUSES TO SELL HIS VINEYARD. 


yard in the city of Jezreel. Now Ahab, the king, had a palace 
in that city, and as Naboth’s vineyard was near to it, Ahab spoke 
to him, saying, Sell me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a 





























































THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 347 


garden to plant herbs in, and I will give thee a better vineyard 
for it, or else, if thou wouldst rather, I will give thee what it is 
worth in money. But Naboth did not want to sell his vineyard. 
It had belonged to his father, who, when he died, left it to him; 
therefore it was Naboth’s inheritance. And Naboth would not 
let Ahab have it: he said, The Lord forbid it, that I should sell 
the inheritance of my fathers to thee. 

When Ahab heard this, he came home to his house sad and 
displeased. And he lay down upon his bed, and turned away 
his face, and would eat no food. Then Jezebel, his wife, came to 
him, saying, Why art thou so sad that thou wilt eat no food ? 
Ahab answered, Because I spoke unto Naboth, and said to him, 
Sell me thy vineyard for money, or else, if thou wouldst rather, 
I will give thee another vineyard for it, but he answered, I will 
not give thee my vineyard. And Jezebel said to him, Art 
thou now the king of Israel, and wilt thou be treated so? 
Rise up, eat thy food and be merry ; I will give thee the 
vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 

Then she wrote letters, and signed them with Ahab’s name, and 
sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders of the city 
of Jezreel, where Naboth lived. In the letters she commanded 
them to find some wicked men who would lie against Naboth, 
and say that they had heard him speak evil of God and the king. 
And the elders did as Jezebel commanded ; for they found two 
men who bore false witness, that is, who lied against him, saying, 
Naboth did blaspheme, and speak evil of God and the king. 
Now, as we have read, the Lord had commanded that whoever 
blasphemed his name should be stoned. So they took Naboth 
out of the city and stoned him with stones, that he died, and the 
dogs came and licked up his blood. Then they sent word to 
Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned and is dead. 

When Jezebel heard it she said to Ahab, Arise, and take the 
vineyard of Naboth for thine own, for Naboth is not alive, but 
dead. And Ahab arose, and went down to the vineyard of Na¬ 
both to take it for his own. And the Lord commanded Elijah 
to go and meet him there, and say to him, Hast thou killed Na¬ 
both and taken his vineyard ? I tell thee, that in the place where 



348 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 

the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lick thy blood, 
even thine. And Elijah went to meet Ahab ; when Ahab saw 
him, he said to him, Hast thou found me, O my enemy ? Elijah 
answered, I have found thee, because thou hast given thyself up 
to sin against the Lord. 

Then Elijah told Ahab that the Lord would send evil on him 
and on his family, and that they should all be destroyed, as the 


ELIJAH CONDEMNS AHAB TO DEATH. 

family of Jeroboam had been, until not one of them was left 
alive. Of Jezebel also, the Lord said, The dogs shall eat Jezebel 
by the wall of Jezreel. For there was none so wicked as Ahab, 
who gave himself up to do evil, and whose wife, Jezebel, tempted 
him to sin more and more. He did very wickedly also in wor¬ 
shipping idols, like the heathen nations that the Lord had driven 
out of Canaan before the children of Israel. 

And Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, came down to Samaria 
to visit Ahab. Then Ahab told him that Benhadad, king of 
Syria, was keeping one of his cities from him, and Ahab asked 
Jehoshaphat to go out with him to take it again. Now Jehosha¬ 
phat was a good man and feared the Lord, therefore he told Ahab 
to inquire first whether the Lord was willing they should go. 












THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 349 


And Ahab gathered his prophets together, about four hundred 
men, and said to them, Shall I go up against the city to battle, 
or shall I not go ? They answered, Go up, for the Lord will give 
it into thy hand. But Jehoshaphat did not believe these men, 
for they were false prophets, who said whatever they thought 
would please Ahab. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a 
prophet of the Lord, beside these, whom we may ask ? Ahab 
answered, There is yet one, a man named Micaiah, but I hate 
him, because he does not prophesy good to me, but evil. Je¬ 
hoshaphat answered, Let not the king say so. 

Then Ahab called an officer, and told him to make haste and 
bring Micaiah there. And the king of Israel and the king of 
Judah, having put on their royal robes, sat each of them on a 
throne in an open place by the gate of Samaria. And all Ahab’s 
false prophets were speaking before them, telling them to go out 
to battle, for they should have the victory. 

And the messenger came back, bringing Micaiah to the king. 
And Ahab asked him, Shall we go to battle against the city, or 
shall we not go ? At first Micaiah said, Go. But the king saw 
that he did not mean what he said. And Ahab said to him, How 
often must I ask thee before thou wilt tell me what is true? Then 
Micaiah answered, I saw all the children of Israel scattered upon 
the hills, like a flock of sheep that is lost and has no shepherd. 
Micaiah meant that the Lord had shown him Ahab’s army, as 
it would be after the battle, when Ahab himself would be killed 
and his army would have no one to lead them. 

And Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not say to thee that he 
would prophesy no good about me, but evil ? And Ahab was 
angry, and commanded his servants, saying, Take Micaiah to the 
governor of the city, and say, Thus saith the king, Put this fel¬ 
low in prison, and feed him on bread and water, and treat him 
cruelly, until I come back safe from the battle. Micaiah an¬ 
swered, If thou come back safe at all, then the Lord has not 
told me what I should answer thee. 

Yet the king of Israel and the king of Judah went up to fight 
against the city. And Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, I will put on 
another dress, that no one may know me, and will go among the 


350 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


soldiers and fight in the battle, hut put thou on thy royal robes 
and let them see thou art a king. Now, before the battle began, 
Benhadad, king of Syria, had commanded all his captains to 
try and kill Ahab ; and when they saw Jehoshaphat in his 
robes, they said, Surely it is king Ahab, and they came to fight 
against him. Then Jehoshaphat cried out; and when they 
saw it was not Ahab, they turned back from following him. 
It was the Lord who made them turn back, because Jehosha¬ 
phat was his servant, and the Lord was watching over him, 
to save him from them. 

But a man in Benhadad’s army shot an arrow, not aiming at 
any one, nor knowing where it would strike, and the Lord made 
it strike Ahab and go in between the pieces of armor that cov- 



DEATH OF AHAB. 


ered his breast. Then Ahab said to the driver of his chariot, 
Turn back and carry me out of the host, for I am wounded. 
The battle lasted all that day, and Ahab was held up in his 
chariot that he might see it, and send orders to his soldiers, but 
he died in the evening. And about the time the sun was going 
down, word was sent through all the host of Israel that every 
man should flee to his own home. 




THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 351 


So the men of Israel fled, and Ahab was slain, as the prophet 
told him he would be, when he let Benhadad go after the Lord 
had given that wicked king into his hand. And they carried 
Ahab’s dead body to Samaria and buried it there. As a man 
was washing the blood from his chariot in a pool of water that 
was near the city, the dogs came and licked up his blood, as 
Elijah said they should, when the dogs licked up the blood 
of Naboth at the city of Jezreel. 

And Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, was made king in his place. 
He did wickedly, as his father had done. And he fell down 
from an upper chamber in his palace and was hurt, and made 
sick. Then he sent messengers to Baal-zebub, the idol of the 
Philistines, to ask whether he would get well of his sickness. 
And the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, Go up to meet the 
messengers of Ahaziah, and say to them. Is it because there 
is no God in Israel that you are going to ask Baal-zebub, the 
idol of the Philistines? Now, therefore, the Lord says that 
Ahaziah shall not rise up from that bed on which he is laid, 
but shall surely die. 

And Elijah met the messengers, and spoke to them the words 
that the Lord commanded. And they came to Ahaziah again, 
and he said to them, Why are you come back so soon ? They 
answered, There came a man to meet us, who said, Go back to 
king Ahaziah and tell him, that because he has sent to ask of the 
idol Baal-zebub, he shall not rise up from the bed on which he is 
laid, but shall surely die. The king said to the messengers, What 
sort of a man was he that met you and told you these words ? 
They answered, He was a hairy man, with a girdle of leather 
about his loins. And Ahaziah said, It is Elijah. 

Then the king was displeased, and sent a captain of his army, 
with fifty soldiers, to take Elijah, and bring him to the king. 
And they came, and found him sitting on the top of a hill; and 
the captain called to him, and said, Thou prophet, the king com¬ 
mands thee to come down. Elijah answered, If I be a prophet, 
let fire come down from heaven and burn up thee and thy fifty 
men. And there came down fire from heaven, and burned up 
the captain and the fifty men who were with him. 


352 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And Ahaziah sent another captain with fifty men, and he 
came to Elijah and called to him, saying, Thou prophet, the 
king commands thee to come down quickly. Elijah answered, 
If I be a prophet, let fire come down from heaven and burn 
up thee and thy fifty men. Then fire came down again from 
heaven, and burned up the captain and his fifty men. And 
Ahaziah sent a third captain with fifty men more. But when 
he came to the place where Elijah was, he fell on his knees be¬ 
fore him, and said, O prophet, I pray thee, save my life and the 
lives of these fifty men, thy servants. Let not the fire come 
down from heaven and burn us, as it burned the two captains, 
with their men, who were here before us. 

And the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, Go with him, be not 
afraid. So Elijah went with him to the king. And Elijah said 
to the king, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast sent messen¬ 
gers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the idol of the Philistines, instead 
of sending to me, the God of Israel, therefore thou shalt not rise 
up from the bed on which thou art laid, but shalt surely die. 
So Ahaziah died, as Elijah told him, and Jehoram, his brother, 
was made king over the ten tribes of Israel. 


2 KINGS II.-IV. 

B. C. 890-891. 


ELIJAH IS TAKEN UP TO HEAVEN. ELISHA MAKES THE WATERS AT 
JERICHO PURE. LITTLE CHILDREN MOCK HIM AND ARE SLAIN BY 
BEARS. HE COMMANDS DITCHES TO BE DUG, AND THESE ARE FILLED 
WITH WATER. THE WIDOW POURS OIL INTO EMPTY VESSELS. THE 
SHUNAMITE’S KINDNESS TO ELISHA. HE RAISES HER SON TO LIFE. 


A ND it was so, when the Lord was going to take up Elijah to 
heaven, that Elijah went with his servant Elisha to a place 
called Gilgal. Now Elijah wanted to be alone when the Lord 
should take him up, so he said to Elisha, Stay here, I pray thee, 
at Gilgal, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel. But Elisha said, 
As surely as the Lord liveth, and as thou art living, I will not 
leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. And the young men 
who went to the schools that were taught by the prophets at 
Bethel, came to Elisha, and said to him, Knowest thou that the 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 353 


Lord will take away thy master from thee to-day ? He answered, 
Yes, I know it, hold ye your peace. 

And Elijah said to Elisha, Stay here at Bethel, I pray thee, 
for the Lord has sent me to Jericho. But Elisha said, As 
surely as the Lord liveth, and as thou art living, I will not 
leave thee. So they came to Jericho. And the young men 
who were in the schools of the prophets at Jericho, came to 
Elisha, and said to him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take 
away thy master from thee to-day? He answered, Yes, I know 
it, hold ye your peace. 

And Elijah said to Elisha, Stay here, I pray thee, at Jericho, 
for the Lord has sent me to the river Jordan. But Elisha an¬ 
swered, As surely as the Lord liveth, and as thou art living, I 
will not leave thee. And they two went on. And fifty young 
men from the schools of the prophets followed them, to look, a 
good way off. And Elijah and Elisha stood by the side of the 
river. Then Elijah took his mantle and wrapt it together, and 
struck the waters with it, and the waters were parted before 
them, so that they two 
went over on dry 
ground. 

When they had 
gone over, Elijah said 
to Elisha, Ask what I 
shall do for thee, be¬ 
fore I be taken away 
from thee. And Eli¬ 
sha asked that he 
might have more of God’s Spirit in his heart, as Elijah had. 
Elijah answered, thou hast asked a hard thing; yet if thou see 
me when I am taken from thee, thou shalt have what thou ask- 
est for; but if not, thou shalt not have it. 

And as they walked on and talked together, behold, there 
came a chariot of fire, with horses of fire, that took Elijah away 
from Elisha, and he went up in the chariot to heaven. Elisha 
saw it, and cried out, My father, my father, the chariot of 
Israel and the horsemen thereof. He called Elijah father, for 
23 









354 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



so they called the prophets in those days. And he called him 
the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof, because Elijah 
"would have been better than chariots and horses to help the 
people and gain the victory for them over their enemies, if they 
had only been willing to obey him. And after that Elisha saw 
Elijah no more; and he took hold of his own clothes and rent 
them in two pieces. And Elisha took up the mantle of Elijah 


ELIJAH TAKEN UP TO HEAVEN. 

that fell from him, and with it he struck the waters of the river, 
and they parted for him as they had done for Elijah, and Eli¬ 
sha went over alone, on dry ground. 

And the fifty young men from the schools of the prophets, who 
had followed afar off, came to meet him, and bowed themselves 
down to the ground before him. And they said to Elisha, Let 
us go, we pray thee, and look for thy master; perhaps the Lord 
has taken him away and left him on some mountain, or in some 













THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 355 


valley. But Elisha answered, Ye shall not go. Then they 
begged him till Elisha was ashamed to refuse any longer, and 
he said to them, Go. They went, therefore, and searched three 
days for Elijah, but could not find him. Then they came to 
Jericho and told Elisha, and he said to them, Did I not say to 
you, Do not go? 

And the men of Jericho said to Elisha, Our city is pleasant to 
live in, as thou seest, except that the water is not good to drink, 
and it makes the ground barren, so that nothing will grow here. 
Elisha said to them, Bring me a new cruse, and put some salt in 
it; and they brought it to him. And he went to the spring from 
which the water flowed, and threw the salt in there, and said, 
Thus saith the Lord, I have made these waters pure; they shall 
not any more cause the people to be sick, or the ground to be 
barren. So the waters were made pure from that day. 

And Elisha went from Jericho to Bethel; as he was going, 
there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked 
him and cried after him, saying, Go up, thou bald head; go 
up, thou bald head. So they made sport of him because he 
w T as bald, and told him to go up, as Elijah had gone up, when 
God took him to heaven. And Elisha turned back, and as 
he looked on them, asked the Lord to punish them for their 
sin. And there came forth two bears out of the wood, and 
tore forty-two children of them. 

After this Jehoram, king of Israel, gathered his army to¬ 
gether to fight against the Moabites. And he sent word to 
Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has 
rebelled against me; wilt thou go with me against him to bat¬ 
tle? Jehoshaphat answered, I will go: and the king of Edom 
also went with them. So these three kings set out with their 
armies, and they marched seven days, and found no water for 
the host, or for the cattle that they had brought with them to 
eat by the way. Then the king of Israel was afraid, because 
his soldiers had no water to drink, and he said, Alas, the Moab¬ 
ites will gain the victory over us. 

Now Jehoram the king of Israel served idols, that could not 
help him; but Jehoshaphat served the Lord, and he asked, say- 


356 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


mg, Is there no prophet here, who can inquire of the Lord for us 
what we shall do ? One of the king of Israel’s servants answered, 
Elisha is here, who was the servant of Elijah. Jehoshaphat said, 
He is a prophet of the Lord; let us go to him. So Jehoram, 
king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and the king of 
Edom, went to Elisha. And when Elisha saw the king of Israel, 
he said, Why dost thou come to me ? Go to the false prophets 
of thy father Ahab, and thy mother Jezebel; let them help thee. 
The king of Israel answered, that he had come because he was 
afraid of the Moabites, lest they should gain the victory over 
them. Elisha said to him, As surely as the Lord of hosts liveth, 
if it were not for Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, who is with 
thee, I would not look toward thee nor see thee. 

Then the Lord commanded Elisha to tell the men of Israel to 
dig the valley, in which their camp was, full of ditches; for the 
Lord said, that although there should be no wind or rain, yet 
the ditches should be filled with water, that they and their cattle 
might drink. And the Lord will not only do this for you, Elisha 
said, but he will give you the victory over the Moabites, and you 
shall destroy their cities, and cut down their trees, and fill up 
their wells, and spoil the best of their land. And the words of 
Elisha came true, for the next morning the Lord caused water to 
flow into the valley, so that the ditches were filled with it. 

When the Moabites heard that the kings of Israel, of Judah, 
and of Edom, had come up against them, they gathered all their 
army together and came near the camp of Israel. And the sun 
shone on the water in the ditches, and made it look red. Then 
the Moabites thought that their enemies had heen fighting with 
one another, and that this was their blood. And they said, Let 
us go and take the spoil they have left. So they came near the 
camp; but when they saw the armies that were there, they were 
afraid and fled. And the men of Israel rose up and followed 
them, even into their own country There they cut down the 
trees and destroyed the cities; they filled up the wells, and on 
every good piece of ground threw great quantities of stones and 
spoiled it, as Elisha had said they should. Afterward the men 
of Israel came back to their own land. 



BEARS DESTROY THE MOCKING CHILDREN 




358 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And a woman who was the wife of one of the scholars (or, as 
they were called at that time, the sons) of the prophets, cried to 
Elisha, saying, My husband is dead, and thou knowest that he 
served the Lord. But he owed money that he was not able to 
pay; and now the man to whom he owed it, has come to take my 
two sons and make them his bondmen. Elisha said to her, What 
shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in thy house? She 
answered, I have not anything except a pot of oil. Then he said 
to her, Go, borrow empty vessels of all thy neighbors, and bring 
them into thy house and shut the door, and pour out of the pot 
of oil that thou hast, into the vessels thou hast borrowed, and 
set to one side those that are full. 

So she went and borrowed empty vessels, and carried them into 
her house and shut the door. Then her sons brought the empty 
vessels to her, while she poured out of the pot of oil into them, 
and the oil kept on coming until they were all full. But she did 
not know they were all full, and she said to her son, Bring me 
another vessel. He answered, There is not one more. Then she 
came and told Elisha, and he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay the 
man what thy husband owed him, and take the money that is 
left to buy food for thee and thy children. 

After these things, as Elisha journeyed through the land, he 
came to a city called Shunem, where lived a rich and great 
woman, and she begged him to stop at her house and eat food. 
She was so kind to him, that whenever he passed by that way 
he stopped there and did eat. Then she said to her husband, 
I see that this is a prophet of the Lord who passes by us 
so often. Let us make a little chamber for him in our house, 
and put in it a bed, a table, a stool, and a candlestick; and 
whenever he comes to us he shall stay there. So they made 
it as she said. 

And it happened one day that Elisha came with his servant, 
whose name was Gehazi, and went into the chamber, and lay 
down there to rest. And he said to Gehazi, Call this woman. 
When Gehazi had called her, she came and stood before him. 
And Elisha told him to say to her, Thou hast been very kind 
to us, what shall be done for thee? Is there anything thou 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 359 


wouldst have me ask for thee from the king, or from the cap¬ 
tain of the army ? But she answered that she was satisfied with 
the things that she had; and she went away again. Then Elisha 
said to Gehazi, What is to be done for her ? Gehazi answered, 
She has no child. And Elisha said, Call her. When Gehazi 
called her she came again and stood in the door. Then Elisha 
told her that the Lord would give her a son. And the words 
that Elisha spoke came true, for after these things the Lord 
gave her a son. 

When the child was grown, he went one day out in the field 
to his father, among the reapers. And while he was there he 
grew sick, and cried to his father, My head, my head. His 
father said to one of the young men, Carry him to his mother. 
When the young man had carried him to her, the boy sat in 
her lap till noon, and then died. And she took him up to the 
chamber which had been made for Elisha, and laid him on 
the bed, and shut the door and went out. And she called to 
her husband, saying, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young 
men, with one of the asses, that I may make haste to the 
prophet and come back again. Now her husband did not 
know that the boy was dead, and he said to her, Why wilt 
thou go to the prophet to-day ? This is not a feast day nor the 
sabbath. She answered, It is well for me to go. Then she rode 
')n the ass, and said to the servant who went with her, Drive 
on, and make haste, and do not stop till I bid thee. So she 
came to Elisha at mount Carmel. 

When Elisha saw her a good way off, he said to Gehazi his 
servant, Look, yonder comes that Shunamite. Run to meet her, 
and say, Is it well with thee ? Is it well with thy husband ? Is 
it well with the child ? And Gehazi ran and asked her. She 
answered, It is well. When she came to Elisha, she kneeled 
down, and caught him by the feet, and Gehazi came near to 
thrust her away. But Elisha said, Let her alone, for her soul is 
troubled within her, and the Lord hath not told me what her 
trouble is. And the woman said to Elisha, Did I ask that I 
might have a son ? Then he knew that the boy was dead. 

And he said to Gehazi, Make ready, take my staff in thy 


360 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


hand and go to the child. Go in haste; if thou meet any man 
by the way, do not stop to speak with him, and if any man 
speak to thee, do not stop to answer him ; and lay my staff upon 
the face of the child. But the woman said to Elisha, As surely 
as the Lord liveth, and as thou art living, I will not go without 
thee. Then he rose up and went after her. Now Gehazi had 

gone on before them, and 
he came to the woman’s 
house and went up into 
the prophet’s chamber 
and laid the staff on the 
face of the child. But 
the child did not speak, 
nor hear; therefore Ge¬ 
hazi turned back to meet 
Elisha, and he came to 
him and said, The child 
has not awaked. 

When Elisha came into 
the house the child was 
dead, and lying upon the 
bed. He went into the 
chamber, therefore, and 
shut the door and prayed to the Lord. And he got up on the 
bed, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon the child’s 
mouth, and his eyes upon the child’s eyes, and his hands upon 
his hands; and he stretched himself upon the child, and the 
child’s flesh grew warm. Then Elisha came out of the chamber, 
and walked for a while up and down in the house. And he went 
up and stretched himself again upon the child; and the child 
sneezed seven times, and opened his eyes and came to life again. 
And Elisha spoke to Gehazi, saying, Call this Shunamite. So 
Gehazi called her; and when she had come into the chamber, 
Elisha said to her, Take thy son. Then she bowed down to the 
ground in thankfulness, and took her son and went out. 

And Elisha came to Gilgal. While the sons of the prophets 
who lived there, were sitting before him, he said to his servant, 







THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 361 


Set the great pot on the fire and boil pottage for the sons of the 
prophets to eat. And one of them went out into the field to 
gather herbs for the pottage, and found a wild vine which was 
poisonous; but he did not know that it was poisonous, and he 
gathered his lap full of it and when he came into the house, 



THE SHUNAMITE’S SON RAISED TO LIFE. 


sprinkled it into the pot. After the pottage was cooked, they 
poured it out for the men to eat. But as they were eating, they 
tasted the vine and cried, O thou prophet, there is poison in the 
pot! And they could not cat of it. Elisha said to them, Bring 
here some meal. And they brought it, and he cast it into the 
pot; then he said, Pour out now, that you may eat. And they 
ate of it, and it did them no harm. 

And there came a man with a present for Elisha of twenty 
loaves of bread, and some ears of corn. And Elisha told his 
servant to give them to the sons of the prophets, for they 
wanted food-, because there was a scarceness of bread in the 
land. But the servant said, What, shall I set so small a quan¬ 
tity before a hundred men, that they may eat? Elisha an¬ 
swered, Set it before them, for thus saith the Lord, They shall 
all have enough, and some shall be left. Then the servant 
obeyed, and as the food was divided among the people, the 
Lord caused the twenty loaves of bread and the ears of corn, 
































362 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


to increase so that there was enough for them all. And after 
they had eaten, some was still left. 


2 KINGS V.-VII. 

B. C. 894-892. 


ELISHA HEALS NAAMAN OF HIS LEPROSY. GEHAZI TAKES A PRESENT 
FROM NAAMAN. ELISHA MAKES THE AXE TO SWIM IN JORDAN. 
BENHADAD’s ARMY IS STRUCK WITH BLINDNESS AT DOTHAN. THE 
SYRIANS BESIEGE SAMARIA. IN THE FAMINE A WOMAN EATS HER 
SON. ELISHA FORETELLS THE END OF THE SIEGE. 


"VT OW Naaman, the captain of the army of the Syrians, was 
-Li a great man with his master, the king of Syria, because he 
had gone out to war against the king’s enemies, and gained the 
victory over them. Naaman was also a mighty and brave soldier, 
but he was a leper. And the Syrians had brought away captive 
out of the land of Israel, a little maid who waited on Naaman’s 
wife. And one day she said to her mistress, I wish that my mas¬ 
ter could see the prophet that is in Samaria, for he would cure 
him of his leprosy. And it was told Benhadad, the king of Syr¬ 
ia, what the little maid said. Then the king spoke to Naaman, 
saying, Thou shaft go to Samaria, and I will give thee a letter to 
the king of Israel who lives there. 

So Naaman started to go, and took with him ten talents of 
silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment, 
that he might have a present for the man who should make him 
well. And he came to the city of Samaria, and brought the 
letter to Jehoram, king of Israel. Benhadad’s letter said, I 
have sent Naaman, my servant, to thee, that thou mayest cure 
him of his leprosy. When the king of Israel had read the 
letter, he was troubled, and rent his clothes, and said to his ser¬ 
vants, Have I the power of God, that I can cure this man of 
his leprosy ? See now, how Benhadad is seeking for an excuse 
to make a quarrel against me. 

But when Elisha heard that the king had rent his clothes and 
was troubled, he sent word to him, saying, Why hast thou rent 
thy clothes ? Let the man come now to me, and he shall know 
that there is indeed a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came with 
his horses, and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 363 


house of Elisha. And Elisha sent out a messenger to him, 
saying, Go, wash seven times in the river Jordan, and thou 
shalt be clean; that is, made well. 

But when the messenger came to Naaman, and told him 
these words, he was angry, and said, I thought the prophet 
would surely come out to me himself, and pray to the Lord 
his God, and put his hand upon me and make me well. Are 
not the rivers in my own country better than all the rivers in 
the land of Israel ? So he turned and went away in a rage. 
But his servants came near to him and said, My father, if the 
prophet had bid thee do some hard thing that thou mightest 



NAAMAN WASHES IN JORDAN. 

be made well, wouldst thou not have done it? How much 
better then it would be to obey him, when he tells thee to 
wash only, and be clean. 

Then Naaman went down and dipped himself seven times in 
the river Jordan, and his flesh grew pure and clean as the flesh 
of a little child, and he was made well of his leprosy. And 














364 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


he went back to the house of Elisha, he and all the men who 
were with him, and he said, Now I know there is no other God 
in all the earth, but the God of Israel ? Then he said to Elisha, 
I pray thee take a present from thy servant. But Elisha an¬ 
swered, As surely as the Lord liveth, I will take no present from 
thee. And Naaman begged him, but he would not. 

Then Naaman asked permission to take from the land of 
Israel some earth, as much as two mules could carry, that he 
might make an altar with it, when he should go back to his 
own land; for he said, that he would never again offer a burnt 
offering to any other god but to the Lord. Now Naaman’s 
master, the king of Syria, was an idolater; he worshipped idols. 
And Naaman said that when his master should go into the 
idol’s house to worship, he would want Naaman to go also, that 
he might lean on Naaman’s arm. And Naaman asked Elisha 
whether the Lord would forgive him when he went into the idol’s 
house with his master, and bowed down with his master before 
the idol, if he did not worship it in his heart ? And Elisha told 
him to go in peace. 

And Naaman left Elisha’s house to go back to his own land. 
But when he had gone a little way, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, 
said to himself, My master would take no present from this 
Naaman, but as surely as the Lord liveth, I will run after him 
and take something for myself. So Gehazi followed Naaman, 
and when Naaman saw him running after him, he stopped his 
chariot and came down to meet him, and said, Is all well ? Ge¬ 
hazi answered, All is well; but my master sent me to tell thee, 
that since thou didst leave him, there are come to him two young 
men who are sons of the prophets; and he asks thee to give them 
a talent of silver and two changes of garments. Naaman an¬ 
swered, I pray thee, take two talents. And Naaman took two 
talents of silver bound in two bags, and two changes of raiment, 
and gave them to two of his servants to carry for Gehazi, 
because they were heavy; and they carried them before him. 
And when they came to Elisha’s house, Gehazi took them from 
the servants’ hands and hid them in a secret place; and the men 
went back to Naaman again. 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 365 



And Gehazi came in and stood before his master. Now the 
Lord had told Elisha what Gehazi had done; so when he 
came and stood before him, Elisha said, Where hast thou been, 
Gehazi? Gehazi answered, Thy servant has been nowhere. 
Elisha said, Did I not know it, when Naaman came down from 
his chariot to meet thee ? Is this a time for us to take money, and 
garments, and riches ? Therefore, because thou hast done this 
thing, the leprosy which Naaman has been cured of, shall be 
on thee and on thy children forever. And as Elisha spoke, 


ELISHA MAKES THE AXE SWIM. 

the leprosy came on Gehazi, and he went out from him covered 
with it, as white as snow. 

And the sons of the prophets spoke to Elisha, saying, Behold 
now the house in which we live is too small for us. Let us go, 
we pray thee, to the river Jordan and cut down trees, and take, 
each of us, a beam, and build a larger house in which we may 
live. And one of them said to Elisha, I pray thee go with us. 
Elisha said, I will go. Then he went with them, and when they 















366 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


came to Jordan they cut down trees there. But while one of 
them was doing it, the head of his axe flew off from the handle 
and fell into the water. And he came to Elisha and said, Alas, 
master, for it was borrowed. Elisha said, Where did it fall ? 
The young man showed him the place. Then Elisha cut down 
a stick from a tree, and threw it into the river where the axe had 
fallen, and the iron axe rose and floated on the top of the water. 
And Elisha said to the young man. Take it up. And he put 
out his hand and took it. 

After this Benhadad, king of Syria, made war against Israel, 
and commanded his soldiers where they should go to find Jeho- 
ram, king of Israel, and take him captive. But when they came 
to the place, Jehoram had fled, because Elisha had told him the 
Syrians were coming there. And so it was wherever the Syrians 
went to find Jehoram. And Benhadad was greatly troubled 
about this thing, for he knew not who told the king of Israel, 
but thought it must be one of his own servants. Therefore Ben¬ 
hadad called his servants to him, and asked them, saying, Will 
you not tell me which of you is on the king of Israel’s side? 
One of them answered, None of us is on his side, O king; it is 
Elisha the prophet, who tells him where thou dost send us ; he 
tells him also, the words thou dost speak, even when thou art 
shut up in thy bed-chamber. 

Then the king of Syria said, Go, and inquire where Elisha is, 
that I may send and take him. When they had inquired, they 
came and told Benhadad that he was in the city of Dothan. 
Therefore Benhadad sent horses and chariots and soldiers to 
Dothan, and they came by night and spread themselves around 
the city. In the morning, when Elisha’s servant had risen up 
early and gone out of the house, he saw them. And he came 
to Elisha, saying, Alas, my master, what shall we do ? Elisha 
answered, Fear not, for we have more on our side than the king 
of Syria has on his. Then Elisha prayed that the Lord would 
make his servant able to see who were there to take care of him. 
And the Lord made the servant see; and, behold, the mountain 
on which the city stood, was full of horses and chariots of fire 
that the Lord had sent to guard Elisha. 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 367 


When Benhadad’s soldiers came into the city to take him, 
Elisha prayed that the Lord would send blindness upon 
them. And the Lord did as Elisha asked, and made them 
blind, so that they groped about, needing some one to lead 
them. And Elisha went to them, and said, Come after me, 
and I will bring you to the man that you seek. Then he led 
them to the city of Samaria, where the ki ng of Israel lived. 
After they had come there, Elisha prayed to the Lord that he 
would open their eyes. And the Lord opened their eyes, and 
they saw where Elisha had led them. 

Then Jehoram, king of Israel, said to Elisha, Shall I now 
smite them and slay them ? Elisha answered, Thou shalt not 
slay them, but shalt set bread and water before them, that they 
may eat and drink, and go back to their own land. And Jeho¬ 
ram did as Elisha said. He made food ready for them, and 
when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away; and they 
went back to their master Benhadad, the king of Syria. 

But not long after this, Benhadad gathered his army together 
and went up to fight against the city of Samaria. His soldiers 
besieged it, and would let no bread be brought in for the men 
of Israel, and there was a great famine in the city. And as 
the king of Israel walked among his soldiers on the top of the 
wall, a woman called out to him, saying, Help me, O king! 
He said, What aileth thee? She answered, This woman who 
is with me, said to me the other day, Give thy little son, that 
we may eat him to-day, and I will give my son to-morrow. 
So we killed my son and did eat him. And I said to her the 
next day, Give thy son that we may eat him; and she would 
not, but took him and hid him. 

When king Jehoram heard the words of the woman, he rent 
his clothes, for it grieved him to know that the famine was so 
dreadful in the city, and that such a thing had been done among 
the people. But Jehoram was a wicked man, like Ahab, his 
father. It was for his sins, and the sins of the people, that God 
sent these troubles upon them. Jehoram should have repented, 
and asked God to take his troubles away. Instead of this, he 
blamed them on Elisha, and said that the prophet should be 


368 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


put to death that very day. But Elisha knew the king would 
send a messenger to kill him. And when the messenger came 
to his house, Elisha commanded the men who were there to 
shut the door, that he might not come in. 

Then the king himself came to Elisha’s house, leaning on 
the arm of one of his officers. And Elisha told them that the 
Lord said the famine should cease, and that on the morrow there 
would be plenty of food in the city. But the officer, on whose 
arm the king leaned, would not believe it. Then Elisha told 
him, that because he did not believe the words of the Lord, he 
should see those words come true, but should not taste of the 
food which the Lord would send. 

And four men of the children of Israel, who were lepers, sat 
together by the gate of the city. And they said to one another, 
Why do we sit here until we starve ? If we go into the city the 
famine is in the city, and we shall die there. If we sit still 
here, we have nothing to eat, and we shall die here also. Now, 
therefore, come, let us go out to the army of the Syrians. If they 
do not kill us we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die. 
And they rose up in the evening, and went out to the camp of 
the Syrians, but when they came to it no man was there. For 
the Lord had made the Syrians think that they heard the noise 
of chariots, and horses, and a great army, coming out against 
them. Therefore they had risen up, as it grew dark, and left 
their tents and their horses, and everything that was in their 
camp, and fled for their lives. 

When the lepers had gone all through the camp and seen no 
man, they went into one of the tents and ate and drank of the 
food that was there, and carried out silver and gold and rai¬ 
ment that they found, and went away and hid them. And they 
came again and went into another tent, and carried away more 
silver and gold, and hid it also. Then they said to one another, 
We are not doing right, because we have good news for the peo¬ 
ple, but do not tell them. If we stay here till morning, some 
punishment will be sent upon us. Now therefore, come, let us 
go and tell the king of Israel. 

So they came to the city, and called to the porters who watched 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 369 

at the gate, saying, We have been to the camp of the Syrians, 
and found no man there, but horses tied, and asses and tents, just 
as they were left. And the porters went and told the king. And 
the king rose up in the night and said to his servants, I will tell 
you now what the Syrians have done. They know that we are 
hungry; therefore, they have gone from the camp a little way, 
and hid themselves, so that when we shall come out of the city 
to get food, they may rise up and take us captives. 

And one of the king’s servants answered him, saying, Let us 
take some of the horses that are left alive and go out and see. 
They took, therefore, two chariot horses; and the king sent men 
with them to go and look for tne army of the Syrians. And the 
men went as far as the river Jordan, and could not find them. 
But all the road was strewed with garments, and vessels, that 
the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. And the men 
came back to Samaria and told the king. 

When the people heard it, they went out to the camp of the 
Syrians, and brought away all the flour and the grain that the 
Syrians had left. So the famine was ended, and there was plenty 
of food in the city. And the king sent that officer on whose 
arm he leaned, and who would not believe the words of Elisha, 
to stand at the gate and keep the people in order. But the peo¬ 
ple crowded on him in such numbers, that he was trodden under 
foot and killed. So it happened to him as Elisha had said; he 
saw the famine ended, but did not taste of the food that God 
sent for the people. 

2 KINGS VIII.-X. XIII. 

B. C. 891-838. 

ELISHA TELLS THE SHUNAMITE OF THE COMING FAMINE. HE PROPH¬ 
ESIES THAT HAZAEL WILL BE KING OVER SYRIA. JEHU IS ANOINTED 
KING OF ISRAEL. JEHORAM AND JEZEBEL ARE SLAIN. THE REIGNS 
OF JEHOAHAZ AND JEHOASH. ELISHA DIES. 

A FTER these things, Elisha spoke to the woman whose son 
he had brought to life again, saying, Go, thou and thy 
family, to live a while in some other land, for the Lord is going 
to send a famine on the land of Israel which shall last seven 
years. And the woman did as Elisha told her; she went with 


24 



370 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


her family into the land of the Philistines, and lived there for 
seven years. Then she came again into the land of Israel, but 
found that while she was gone, another person had taken her 
house and her fields. 

And she went with her son to king Jehoram, to beg of him 
that they might be given back to her. When she came to the 
king’s house, Gehazi,, the servant of Elisha, was there; the king 
vas talking with him, and said to him, Tell me, I pray thee, of 
^ill the great things that Elisha has done. While Gehazi was tell¬ 
ing how Elisha had brought a dead body to life, the woman and 
her son came in to speak with the king. And Gehazi said, My 
lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha 
brought to life again. And when the king asked her about it, 
she told him 'it was true. Then he commanded one of his of¬ 
ficers, saying, Give back to this woman her house and her land, 
and enough money also to pay for the fruit and the grain that 
have grown in her fields, since she has been in the land of the 
Philistines. 

And Elisha came to Damascus, where Benhadad the king of 
Syria, lived, and it was told the king that he had come. Now 
Benhadad was sick, and when he heard that Elisha had come 
to the city, he said to Hazael, one of his officers, Take a pres¬ 
ent with thee, and go to meet Elisha the prophet, and tell him 
to ask of God for me whether I shall get well of my sick¬ 
ness. So Hazael went to meet Elisha, and took a present 
with him, some of all the good things of Damascus, as much 
as forty camels would carry. 

And he came and stood before Elisha, and said, The king of 
Syria has sent me to ask thee, whether he shall get w r ell of his 
sickness ? Elisha answered, Go and tell him that he is not so 
sick but that he might get well, and yet the Lord has shown 
me that he will die. Then Elisha looked at Hazael, without 
speaking, until Hazael was ashamed ; and Elisha wept. Hazael 
said, Why weepeth my lord ? Elisha answered, Because I 
know the evil things that thou wilt do to the children of 
Israel; their cities thou wilt set on fire, their young men thou 
wilt slay with the sword, and their women and little children 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 371 


thou wilt cruelly put to death. Then Hazael was astonished, 
and said, What, is thy servant a dog, that he should do these 
things ? Elisha answered, The Lord has shown me that thou 
shalt be king over Syria. 

So Hazael went back to king Benhadad, who asked him, 
saying, What said Elisha to thee ? Hazael answered, He told 
me that thou shouldest surely get well. But the next day 
Hazael took a thick cloth and dipped it in water, and brought 
it into the chamber where the king was sick. And he spread 
it over the king’s face, so that he could not breathe, and Ben¬ 
hadad, the king of Syria, died; and Hazael made himself 
king of that land. 

Now Jezebel, the wicked wife of Ahab, was still living in 
the city of Jezreel, and Jehoram her son, the king of Israel, 
was there with her. 

And Elisha called a young man who was one of the sons 
of the prophets, and said to him, Carry some oil with thee, 
and go to the city of Ramoth-gilead, and there look for Jehu, 
who is a captain in the king of Israel’s army. When thou hast 
found him, take him into a secret chamber alone, and pour the 
oil on his head, and say, The Lord has anointed thee to be 
king over Israel. Then open the door and flee, stay not. So 
the young man went to Ramoth-gilead and found there the 
captains of the army sitting together, and Jehu was with them. 
And the young man went to them, and said, I have a message 
for thee, O captain. Jehu said, For which one of us? The 
young man answered, For thee. 

Then Jehu rose up, and went with him into the house, and the 
young man poured the oil on his head, and said to him, Thus 
saith the Lord, I have anointed thee to be king over Israel. 
And after thou art made king, thou shalt put to death all who 
are left of the family of Ahab, that I may punish them for kill¬ 
ing my prophets, and for the death of all my servants whom 
the wicked Jezebel has slain. For the whole family of Ahab 
shall be destroyed, as the family of Jeroboam was destroyed, 
till not one of them is left. And the dogs shall eat Jezebel 
in the city of Jezreel, and there shall be no one to bury her. 


372 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


When the young man had spoken these words to Jehu, he 
opened the door of the house and fled. 

And Jehu came out again to the captains of the army, and 
one of them asked him, saying, What did this mad fellow say to 
thee ? He answered, He told me that the Lord anointed me to 
be king over Israel. Then the captains all made haste and 
blew with trumpets, and cried out, Jehu is king! So they 
made Jehu king instead of Jehoram. 

And Jehu said to the captains, Let no one go to Jezreel to tell 
king Jehoram of what we have done, for I myself will go there. 
Then Jehu made ready his chariot, and rode to Jezreel. As he 
came near the city, the watchman who stood on the tower over 
the gate, saw him and the men who were with him. And the 
watchman told king Jehoram of it. Jehoram said, Send out a 
horseman to ask whether they are coming for peace or for war ? 
So there went out a man on horseback to meet Jehu, and when 
he met him, he asked, Are you coming for peace or for war ? 
But Jehu would not answer him; he commanded the man to go 
behind his chariot, and follow after it. 

Then Jehoram sent out another man, who came and asked 
the same question. And Jehu would not answer him, but com¬ 
manded him also to go behind his chariot and follow after it. 
When Jehoram saw that the men did not come back to tell 
what Jehu said, he got into his chariot, and rode out himself to 
meet him. And he came to him and said, Is it peace, Jehu ? 
Jehu answered, How can there be peace while the sins of thy 
mother Jezebel are so many ? When Jehoram heard this, he 
turned the horses of his chariot to flee, for he saw that Jehu had 
come to fight against him. But Jehu drew a bow with all his 
might, and shot an arrow at Jehoram, that went into his heart, 
and he fell down dead in his chariot. Then Jehu commanded 
his captain to throw Jehoram’s dead body out on the ground. 
The place where he threw it was in the vineyard that Ahab, 
Jehoram’s father, had taken from Naboth; for Naboth’s vine¬ 
yard was at the city of Jezreel. 

Then Jehu came into the city. And Jezebel, Jehoram’s 
mother, heard of it, and she put on her ornaments, and painted 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 373 

her face, and looked out at a window. And as Jehu came in at 
the gate of the city, she spoke to him. But he looked up at the 
window, and said to the men in the house with her, Who is on 
my side ? And there looked out to him two or three officers. 
Then Jehu said to them, Throw her down. So they threw her 


THE DEATH OF JEZEBEL. 

down, and her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and the horses of 
Jehu’s chariot trod her under their feet. After Jehu had come 
out of his chariot, and had eaten and drunk, he said to his ser¬ 
vants, Go, see now where the dead body of this wicked woman 
is, and bury her, for she was a king’s daughter. And they went 
to bury her, but could find only her skull and her feet and the 
palms of her hands, for the dogs had eaten her flesh. 

And Jehu caused all the family of Ahab to be put to death. 
So the words of Elijah came true, which he spoke fifteen years 
before, when Ahab took from Naboth the vineyard which his 
father had left him. At that time Elijah told Ahab that the Lord 














374 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


would send evil upon him and his family, until not one of 
them was left alive. And of Jezebel Elijah said, The dogs 
shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. Yet Jehu did not do 
these things because he wanted to obey the Lord, but like Ba- 
asha, who slew the family of Jeroboam, Jehu did them because 
he wanted to be great, and to make himself king. For he took 
no care in other things, to obey the Lord with all his heart, but 
did wickedly like the kings who had lived before him. He 
reigned for twenty-eight years; and he died, and Jehoahaz his 
son was made king over Israel. 

Jehoahaz disobeyed God as his father had done, and God 
was angry with him and the people of Israel. He sent against 
them Hazael, king of Syria. We have heard how Haz- 
ael murdered his master, by spreading a wet cloth over his 
face while he was sick, and so made himself king. But God 
often sent wicked kings as a punishment against the children 
of Israel; and now he sent Hazael, the king of Syria. And 
Hazael did to them as Elisha had said he would do; he 
burned their cities and put their young men and women to 
death. He destroyed the army of Israel also, and allowed Je¬ 
hoahaz to have only fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thou¬ 
sand footman, so that he might 
not be able to rebel against him. 
Jehoahaz reigned seventeen years, 
and he died, and Jehoash his son 
was made king. 

Now Elisha was sick and about 
to die. And king Jehoash came 
to see him and stood by his bed 
and wept over him, and cried out, 
as Elisha had cried to Elijah, O 
my father, my father, the char¬ 
iot of Israel and the horsemen 
thereof. Elisha said to king 
Jehoash, Take a bow and arrows. 
And he took them. Elisha said to the king, Put thy hand on 
the bow. And he put his hand on it; and Elisha put his hands 



THE DEATH OF ELISHA. 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 375 

upon the king’s hands. And he said, Open the window toward 
the east. And he opened it. Elisha said, Shoot; and the king 
shot. Then Elisha told the king what that arrow meant; he 



the dead man comes to dike at elisha’s sepulchre. 


said it meant that Jehoash should gain the victory over the 
Syrians, and set the children of Israel free from them. 

And Elisha spoke to the king again, and told him to take 
the arrows in his hand, and strike with them on the ground. 


































376 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And the king struck with them three times, and stopped. And 
Elisha was angry, and said, Thou shouldst have struck five 
or six times, for then thou wouldst have smitten the Syrians 
till they were destroyed; but now thou shalt smite them only 
three times. 

And Elisha died and they buried him. After this the Moab¬ 
ites came into the land to rob the men of Israel. And as some 
of the people were carrying out a dead man to bury him, they 
saw a band of the Moabites coming, and because they were 
afraid, they did not go to the grave that was made ready for 
the man, but lowered him in haste into Elisha’s sepulchre. And 
when the dead body touched the bones of Elisha, the man came 
to life again, and stood up on his feet. 


2 KINGS XIII.-XVII. AMOS. 

B. C. 839-721. 

JEHOASH DIES AND JEROBOAM REIGNS. THE PROPHETS AMOS AND 
HOSEA ARE SENT. THE REIGNS OF ZACHARIAH, SHABLUM, MEN- 
AHEM, PEKAHIAH, PEKAH, AND HOSHEA. THE TEN TRIBES ARE 
CARRIED AWAY CAPTIVE. 


A FTER Elisha was dead, king Jehoash fought against the 
Syrians and gained the victory over them three times, as 
Elisha had told him he should, but he was not able wholly to de¬ 
stroy them. Jehoash was king for sixteen years, and he died, and 
they buried him in the city of Samaria; and Jeroboam, his son, 
was made king in his place. 

The Lord was kind to Jeroboam and the people of Israel, 
for he saw the sufferings which their enemies caused them, and 
he pitied them. He helped Jeroboam as he had helped Jeho¬ 
ash, his father, in fighting against the Syrians, so that Jeroboam 
took from them two of their cities, Damascus and Hamath. 
But the men of Israel did not thank God for his kindness; 
although he helped them in their trouble, and saved them 
from their enemies, they still worshipped the golden calves. 

Then the Lord sent Amos the prophet to speak to them. 
Amos came and said, that they were the only people in all the 
earth whom the Lord had chosen for his own, yet instead of 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 377 


serving him, they served idols, and disobeyed his command¬ 
ments. They were cruel to the poor, they deceived and robbed 
one another when they sold corn and wheat, they hated those 
persons who did justly and told the truth, but took bribes from 
the wicked and allowed them to go on in their wickedness. 

The Lord had seen all their sins, Amos said, and had kept 
back the rain from their fields, and sent famine and pestilence 
into their land, to show them he was angry; still they would 
not turn from their evil ways. Therefore a greater punishment 
should be sent upon them. There would be weeping and wail¬ 
ing in their streets and their vineyards; for an enemy should 
come who would gain the victory over them, and treat them 
cruelly, and they should be carried away captives to other lands. 
Yet Amos told them, that if they would repent and obey the 
Lord, the Lord would forgive them. 

But woe, or sorrow, Amos said, should come to those who 
would not think of their sins, or of the punishment that was 
coming on the people; who put all such thoughts out of their 
minds and cared only to enjoy themselves; who lay on rich 
couches, and on beds of ivory; who ate lambs out of the flock, 
and fatted calves from the stall; who sang to instruments of 
music, and drank wine out of bowls. Those persons should be 
among the first to be carried away captives. 

After Amos had spoken these things to the people, Amaziah, 
who was the chief priest at the idol’s temple at Bethel, sent to 
king Jeroboam, saying, Amos is speaking against thee. He 
says that thou shalt be slain, and the people carried away 
captive. Amaziah spoke to Amos also, and said to him, Go out 
of our land into the land of Judah, and prophesy to the people 
there, but do not prophesy any more here, in Bethel. For this 
is the place where king Jeroboam lives, and where he worships 
the golden calves. 

Then Amos answered Amaziah, saying, I did not use to be a 
prophet, neither was I the son of a prophet; I was only a herds¬ 
man and gatherer of wild figs. But as I was driving my flock 
out in the field, the Lord said to me, Go, prophesy to the chil¬ 
dren of Israel. Hear then, Amaziah, what the Lord commands 


378 


THE STOR Y OF THE BIBLE. 


me to say to thee. Thou tellest me not to prophesy to the people, 
when the Lord has sent me to prophesy to them. Now, there¬ 
fore, the Lord will send his punishment upon thee also; thy wife 
shall go away from thy home and leave thee alone; thy sons and 
thy daughters shall be slain by the sword, and thou thyself shalt 
die in a heathen land. 

King Jeroboam and the people heard the words of Amos, 
which the Lord had sent him to speak; and not the words of 
Amos only, but of the prophet Hosea also, who came and told 
them of their sins, and of the great punishment which the Lord 
would send ; he, too, begged them to repent, that the Lord might 
forgive them. Yet they would not listen to the words of the 
prophets, neither would they repent as the Lord commanded. 
Jeroboam was king forty-one years and he died, and Zachariah, 
his son, was made king in his stead. 

Zachariah was king in the city of Samaria but six months 
Then Shallum rebelled against him and killed him, and made 
himself king. But after Shallum had reigned only one month, 
Menahem came to Samaria and slew him, and Menahem was 
made king. 

Menahem reigned ten years, and all that time he did evil. 
And Pul, the king of Assyria, came up against him. Then 
Menahem was afraid, and promised to pay Pul a thousand 
talents of silver if he would be his friend and help him, and 
allow him still to be king. Menahem had not this money him¬ 
self, but he forced the rich men of his kingdom to give it to him, 
and when they had given it, he paid it to Pul. So Pul took the 
thousand talents and allowed Menahem still to be king over Is¬ 
rael. And Pul went back to his own land. After this Menahem 
died, and Pekahiah, his son, was made king in his place. 

The Bible tells us that Pekahiah sinned as Jeroboam, the first 
king of Israel, had done. We have read that Jeroboam was the 
one who first set up the golden calves for idols, and told the peo¬ 
ple that these were their gods that brought them up out of 
Egypt. And Pekahiah, when he was made king, clid not put 
down these idols, but he went to their temples to worship them, 
and taught the people to go there, instead of going to Jerusalem 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 379 


to worship God. After he had been king for two years, Pekah, 
the son of one of his captains, came into the king’s palace in the 
city of Samaria, and killed him; and Pekah was made king. 

Pekah also did wickedly. He went up to Jerusalem to fight 
against that city, but was not able to take it. And the king of 
Assyria came with an army and made war against him, and 
carried away many of the people. After Pekah had been king 
twenty years, Hoshea rebelled against him and killed him, and 
made himself king. 

Hoshea was king for nine years, and he did evil and dis¬ 
pleased the Lord. Against him also the king of Assyria came 
up, and Hoshea promised to be his servant and obey him, and to 
pay him tribute money each year. But he did not keep his 
promise, for after the king of Assyria had gone back to his own 
land, Hoshea sent word to the king of Egypt, asking that king 
to help him against the king of Assyria; neither did Hoshea 
send the king of Assyria tribute money as he had done in years 
before. Then the king of Assyria bound Hoshea and put him 
in prison, and came up with an army against Samaria and be¬ 
sieged it for three years, until he took the city. 

We have seen, by what we have now read, how wicked the 
people of Israel had been. Ever since they separated from the 
tribes of Judah and Benjamin and made a kingdom of their own, 
they had been sinning against God. For instead of doing as he 
taught them, they chose to do as the heathen nations did that 
lived around them. Those nations would not serve God, because 
he commanded them to be pure and holy; they served false gods, 
who, they pretended, allowed them to do everything that was 
wicked. The Bible tells us they worshipped their false gods in 
the high places. These were places where altars and images 
were set up. The heathen people made them on mountains 
and hills, and there they worshipped their false gods. 

And the people of Israel did like them. They, too, made 
high places on the mountains and hills, and they made them in 
their cities also. We are not told how they made them in their 
cities. Perhaps they were mounds of earth heaped up, or plat¬ 
forms of wood or stone, we cannot tell. All we know about 


380 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


them is, that idols and altars were placed there. And there the 
people burnt incense and offered sacrifice to the idols. They 
kindled fires also, as the heathen nations used to do, and made 
their sons and their daughters go through the fires and be 
burned, because, they said, the idols would be pleased at it. 

And God was very angry with the people of Israel for these 
things. Yet he waited long for them to turn from evil ways; as 
we have read, he sent famine and pestilence and war into their 
land to show them he was angry. When they still continued 
to disobey him, he sent his prophets to warn them. We have 
been told how those prophets came and preached to the people, 



THE PEOPLE CARRIED CAPTIVE. 


telling them of the punishment that was coming upon them, and 
begging them to repent and cease doing evil, so that God might 
forgive them and keep them for his children: but they would 
not. So at last God did to them what his prophets had said 
he would do. He drove the people of Israel out of Canaan, as 
he had driven out the heathen nations that lived there before 
them. For the king of Assyria, after he had shut up Hoshea 
in prison, went through all the land of Israel and took the peo¬ 
ple and carried them away captive to the land of Assyria. There 





THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 381 


he gave them cities to live in; but he would not let them come 
back to the land of Israel again. 

So the kingdom of Israel was ended. It had lasted two hun¬ 
dred and fifty-four years, ever since the ten tribes chose Jero¬ 
boam for their king. Nineteen kings had ruled over them dur¬ 
ing that time, every one of whom did evil and disobeyed the 
Lord. And the king of Assyria sent people from his own land 
to live in the cities of Israel, where the ten tribes had lived; 
and they came and lived there, and took those cities for their 
own. But we do not read that the ten tribes ever returned, and 
no one can tell what afterward became of them. 

We have now finished the story of the kingdom of Israel, 
and will go back two hundred and fifty-four years, to begin 
the story of the kingdom of Judah. 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 

1 KINGS XII.-XXII. 2 CHRON. XI.-XXI. 

B. C. 975-889. 

REHOBOAM, HAVING GROWN RICH AND STRONG, DISOBEYS GOD AND WOR¬ 
SHIPS IDOLS. THE KING OF EGYPT COMES UP AGAINST HIM. THE 
REIGNS OF ABIJAH, ASA, AND JEHOSHAPHAT. 

W E have read that Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, was made 
king over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and that he 
lived at Jerusalem, where the temple was which his father had 
built. We have read also that Jeroboam would not allow the 
people of the ten tribes to go to Jerusalem to worship at the 
temple, as God had commanded; but he set up two golden 
calves in that part of the land where the ten tribes lived, and 
taught the people to worship them. 

Yet the priests and the Levites who were living among the 
ten tribes at that time, would not worship the golden calves. 
They came, with many other persons, to live at Jerusalem, and 
chose Rehoboam for their king. And they made his kingdom 
greater and stronger by coming because there were so many of 
them, and because they were the ones whom the Lord would 



382 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


bless. And for three years Rehoboam and his people did what 
was right, and obeyed the Lord. 

But when he grew rich and strong, and was no longer in fear 
that his kingdom would be taken from him, he ceased obeying 
the Lord. For he and all the people of Judah, began to wor¬ 
ship idols, and like the people of Israel, they built high places 
in the cities, and on every high hill, and there they set up their 
idols and worshipped them. Then the Lord sent the king 
of Egypt against Judah. That king brought with him twelve 
hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen, and a very great 
army, and he took many cities in the land, and afterward came 
up to Jerusalem. And Rehoboam and the princes of the people 
were afraid of him. 

And there came a prophet w T ho said to them, Thus saith the 
Lord, You have left off serving me, therefore I will not help you 
against the king of Egypt. When Rehoboam and the princes 
heard this, they bowed their heads, and confessed that the Lord 
did right to punish them. Then the Lord sent his prophet again 
to tell them, that because they humbled themselves before him, 
the king of Egypt should not destroy them, and yet, because they 
had done wickedly, he should make them his servants. So the 
king of Egypt came with his army into Jerusalem, and took away 
much gold and silver out of the temple, and out of the king’s 
palace. But afterward he returned to his own land. 

Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he was made king; he 
reigned seventeen years; and he died, and was buried in Jeru¬ 
salem, and Abijah, his son, was made king in his place. 

There was war between Abijah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam, 
king of Israel. Abijah made ready for the battle with an army 
of four hundred thousand men, but Jeroboam had eight hundred 
thousand. Before the battle began, Abijah stood on a mountain 
where Jeroboam and his men could hear him, and he said to 
them, Hear me, Jeroboam, and all you men of Israel, Do you 
not know that God made David and his sons .to be kings over 
the children of Israel forever ? Yet Jeroboam has rebelled, and 
made himself king. And he has brought out wicked men to 
fight with us. You are a great multitude, and have with you 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 383 


the golden calves which Jeroboam made for your gods, but we 
worship the Lord: he is with us, and is our captain. O, then, 
you men of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, for if you do 
you shall not prosper. 

But while Abijah was speaking, Jeroboam led out his army 
and the battle began. And the men of Judah cried to the Lord 
for help, and the priests who were with them blew on their 
trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout, and as they 
did so, God helped them, and Jeroboam and his army fled away. 
And Abijah and his people followed them, and fought against 
them, and great numbers of the men of Israel fell down slain. So 
the men of Judah gained the victory, because they trusted in God. 
And Abijah pursued Jeroboam into the land of the ten tribes, and 
took cities from him. Jeroboam was never able to bring out an 
army against Abijah again. Abijah reigned for three years, and 
he died, and Asa his son was made king. 

Asa did what was right, and pleased the Lord. And the 
Lord gave the people rest from war. Then Asa said to them, 
Let us build more cities in our land, with walls around them, 
and towers and gates and bars, so that our enemies cannot take 
them from us. And they built more cities, and their kingdom 
grew strong and prospered. 

Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men out of the 
tribe of Judah that carried shields and spears, and of two hundred 
and eighty thousand out of the tribe of Benjamin that carried 
bows and arrows; all these were brave soldiers. Yet the king 
of Ethiopia made war against him with an army much greater 
than his. And Asa came out to the battle, and he cried to the 
Lord, and said, It is no trouble for thee to help us whether we 
have many soldiers or few; help us, O Lord our God, for in thy 
name we go out against this great multitude. O Lord, let them 
not gain the victory over us. So the Lord helped the men of 
Judah in the battle and gave them the victory ; and they took 
much spoil from the Ethiopians, and carried away great numbers 
of their sheep and camels. Afterward Asa and his army came 
back to Jerusalem. 

And the Lord sent a prophet who spoke to them, saying, Hear 


384 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


me, Asa, and all you men of Judah and Benjamin: The Lord 
will be with you, to help you, as long as you shall serve him; but 
if you forsake him he will forsake you. Therefore fear not to do 
what is right, and you shall be rewarded. When Asa heard 
these words, he took courage, and put away the idols that the 
people had set up through the land, and repaired and made new 
the altar of burnt offering that stood in the court of the temple; 
for the people had allowed it to go to decay. Then he gathered 
all the people together at Jerusalem, and they offered up, out of 
the spoil that had been taken from the Ethiopians, seven hun¬ 
dred oxen and seven thousand sheep. And the people made a 
covenant with the Lord, and promised to serve him with all their 
heart and with all their soul; and they said that whoever would 
not serve him should be put to death, whether he was rich or 
poor, whether it was a man or a woman. 

After Asa had been king over Judah for thirty-five years, 
Baasha, the king of Israel, came up to make war against him. 
Then Asa, instead of praying to the Lord for help, took silver 
and gold out of the temple and out of his own palace, and sent it 
to the king of Syria, saying, Behold, I have sent thee a present of 
silver and gold. Go, therefore, and make war against Baasha, 
king of Israel, so that he may not fight against me. And the 
king of Syria did as Asa asked him. He sent his army against 
some of the cities of Israel, and when Baasha heard of it he re¬ 
turned to his own land, and fought against Asa no more. 

But the Lord sent a prophet to reprove Asa for seeking help 
from the king of Syria, instead of from him. Were not the Ethi¬ 
opians a great army, the prophet asked, with very many chariots 
and horsemen ? Yet, because thou didst trust in the Lord, he 
gave thee the victory over them. For the eyes of the Lord look 
up and down through the whole world, to watch over those who 
love him, that he may help them. Thou hast done foolishly. 
Therefore, from this time thy enemies shall make war against 
thee. But Asa was angry with the prophet, and shut him up in 
prison, for speaking these words. 

After he had been king for thirty-eight years, there came a 
disease in his feet, which grew worse until it was very great. 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 385 


Yet in his sickness, he did not ask the Lord to heal him, but 
trusted only in his physicians. He was king forty-one years, 
and he died. And his servants laid him in a bed filled with sweet¬ 
smelling spices that the apothecaries had made ready. And they 
buried him in a sepulchre which he had made for himself, in 
Jerusalem; and Jehoshaphat, his son, reigned in his stead. 

The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because from the time he 
was made king he did what was right. Therefore the Lord 
gave him the kingdom to keep it; and all the people brought 
him gifts, and he had riches and honor in plenty. In the third 
year of his reign he sent men through all the cities of Judah, 
with the book which had God’s laws written in it, that they 
might teach them to the people. And the Lord made the 
heathen nations afraid to come out to war against Jehoshaphat, 
The Philistines brought him presents and tribute money; and 
the Arabians brought him flocks, as many as seven thousand 
seven hundred sheep, and seven thousand seven hundred goats. 
And he became very great and had a great army. He built cas¬ 
tles and store cities also, in which to keep his riches. 

But after this he went down to the city of Samaria, to visit 
Ahab, king of Israel. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen, and 
made a feast for him, and persuaded him to go out to war 
against the king of Syria. We have read how Jehoshaphat put 
on his royal robes, and went into the battle, and how the Syrians 
thought it was Ahab, and tried to kill him. But when he cried 
out, they turned away from following him, because God would 
not let them come near to put him to death. When the battle 
was over Jehoshaphat came back to Jerusalem. 

And the Lord sent a prophet to meet him, who said, Was it 
right for thee to help the wicked Ahab, and to go out to war 
with men who hate the Lord ? Therefore, the Lord is angry 
with thee. Yet thou hast done well in other things: in taking 
away the altars and the high places, where the people worship¬ 
ped idols, and in making thy own heart ready to serve God. 
After this Jehoshaphat went no more to the city of Samaria, but 
lived in Jerusalem; and he went out through the land of Judah, 
commanding the people to put away their idols. He set judges 
25 


386 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


also, in all the cities of Judah to punish those who did wrong, 
and to save the innocent from harm. He said to the judges, Be 
careful that you act justly, for you must give account, not to me, 
but to the Lord, who sees all you do. Therefore, fear him. 

And the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Edomites, came 
up to fight against Jehoshaphat. When he heard of it he sent 
word to all the people that they should eat no food, but should 
fast and pray. And the people came out of all the cities of 
Judah to the temple at Jerusalem, and prayed for help. Antf 
Jehoshaphat stood up before them, and said, O Lord, art thou 
not our God, who didst drive out the heathen from this land, 
and give it to thy people, the children of Israel ? And we have 
lived here and built a temple in which to worship thee, and pray 
to thee. But now the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the Edom¬ 
ites have gathered together to drive us out of the land which 
thou hast given us. Wilt thou not punish them ? for we are no t 
able to fight with the great army they are bringing against ua 
And we know not what to do, but are looking up to thee. While 
Jehoshaphat prayed, all the people stood up before the Lord, 
with their little babes, their wives and their children. 

Then the Lord sent a prophet to speak to Jehoshaphat and 
the people, saying, Be not afraid of this multitude. To-morrow 
go out against them. You will find them by the brook in the 
wilderness. And you need not fight with them; only stand 
still, and you shall see how the Lord will save you. O men of 
Judah and Jerusalem, fear not, for the Lord will help you. 
When the prophet had spoken these words, king Jehoshaphat 
bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah 
and Jerusalem fell down and worshipped. 

Early in the morning they went out to meet their enemies. 
As they were going, Jehoshaphat said to his soldiers, Trust in 
the Lord and believe what his prophet has said; then you shall 
have the victory. And Jehoshaphat set men in front of the 
army to sing praises to God. As these began to praise him, 
God helped the men of Judah, for he caused the Moabites, the 
Ammonites, and the Edomites to fight with each other, and slay 
one another. And when the men of Judah came near, they saw 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 387 


their enemies lying dead upon the ground. Then they went 
among the slain, and gathered from their dead bodies gold and 
silver, and precious jewels, 
more than they could carry 
away. They were three days 
in gathering the spoil, there 
was so much of it. On the 
fourth day they met to¬ 
gether in a valley near by, 
and blessed and thanked 
the Lord for giving them 
the victory. Therefore that 
valley was called the valley 
of Berachah, which means, 
the valley of Blessing. 

Then Jehoshaphat and all 
the men of Judah, return¬ 
ed with the music of harps 
and trumpets to Jerusalem, and to the temple. 

After this the heathen nations feared to come out against 
him, and God gave him and his people rest from war. Yet 
Jehoshaphat did wrong again, in joining with the king of Israel 
to send ships to a land called Ophir, that they might bring back 
gold for him. And a prophet came and told him that because 
he had joined with that wicked king, his ships should be broken. 
And what the prophet said came true, for his ships were broken 
and wrecked at Ezion-geber, where they were built, so that they 
could not go to that far off land. 

Jehoshaphat reigned twenty-five years, and did what was right 
and pleased the Lord: and he died and was buried in Jerusalem. 


2 KINGS IX.-XIY. 2 CHKONICLES XXI.-XXY. 

B. C. 889-810. 

JEHORAM SLAYS HIS BRETHREN. THE EDOMITES REBEL AGAINST HIM. 
THE REIGNS OF AHAZIAH, ATHALIAH, JOASH, AND AMAZIAH. 

J EHOSHAPHAT left seven sons. To six of them he gave 
presents of silver and gold, and other precious things; he 










388 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


made them rulers also over some of the cities of Judah; hut 
Jehoram, his eldest son, he made king. 

Jehoram was not like his father, he did not serve God. He 
cared only to get the kingdom, and to keep it for himself. 
Because he feared that his brethren might take it from him, 
he killed them. He killed also some of the princes of the land, 
who, he thought, were not his friends. 

Now the Edomites had been servants to the kings of Judah 
for many years before this time, but while Jehoram was king, 
they rebelled against him and chose a king of their own. Then 
Jehoram went out with all his war chariots, and fought against 
them in the night, but he could not overcome them and make 
them his servants again. For the Lord did not help him, be¬ 
cause he had turned away from serving the Lord. 

And Jehoram did very wickedly. He built high places in 
the mountains, for the people to worship idols there, and he 
made the people of Judah to sin, as the kings of Israel made 
their people. For Jehoram had the daughter of Ahab, the 
wicked king of Israel, for his wife. And there came a letter 
to him from Elijah, the prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord, 
Because thou hast not obeyed me, as Jehoshaphat thy father 
did, but hast done wickedly, and made the people do wickedly, 
and hast slain thy brethren who were better than thou art; 
therefore I will send trouble on thy people, thy wives, and thy 
children, and a great sickness shall come upon thee. 

And the Lord sent the Philistines and the Arabians against 
Jehoram. They came up to Jerusalem and went into his house 
and took away his riches. They carried away his wives also, 
and his sons, as captives, so that he had not one son left, save 
Ahaziah, the youngest. After all this the Lord sent a dreadful 
disease upon him, as Elijah had said. He was sick two years, 
and grew worse and worse, for he could not be cured. Jehoram 
reigned eight years and he died, but the people did not mourn 
for him. They buried him in Jerusalem, but not in the sepul¬ 
chres where the kings of Judah were buried. And they made 
Ahaziah, his son, king in his place. 

Ahaziah reigned only one year; like his father, he did wick- 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 389 

edly; for his mother, who was the daughter of Ahab, taught 
him to sin. He went down to visit Jehoram, king of Israel, 
at Jezreel. While he was there, he rode out with Jehoram 
to meet Jehu, each in his chariot. We have read how Jehu 
drew a bow with all his might, and shot an arrow at Jehoram 
that went into his heart, and Jehoram fell down dead. Then 
Ahaziah turned his horses to flee, but Jehu followed him, say¬ 
ing to his servants, -Kill him also in the chariot; and they 
killed him. Afterward the servants of Ahaziah brought his 
dead body in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him there, in 
the sepulchre of the kings. 

When his mother, whose name was Athaliah, saw that he was 
dead, she took Ahaziah’s sons (who were her own grandchildren) 
and slew them to make herself queen. But one of his sons, a 
little boy named Joash, was stolen away from her and hidden 
with his nurse in the temple. He was hidden there six years, 
for Jehoiada, the high priest, watched over him, and Athaliah, 
the queen, knew nothing of it. But when the six years were 
ended, Jehoiada showed him to the Levites and told them that 
he ought to be king. And the priests and Levites talked in 
secret together, and agreed to make Joash king. 

Now there were at the temple some spears and shields that 
had belonged to king David; these the priests gave to the 
Levites. And on the day that the high priest appointed, the 
Levites came to the temple, and kept guard all around it with 
their spears in their hands, that no one might go in. And they 
brought Joash, who was but seven years old, out of the chamber 
where he was hidden, and pouring oil on his head, they anointed 
him; and they put the crown upon his head, and made him 
king over Judah: then they clapped their hands, and cried, 
God save the king! 

When the queen heard the noise of the people, running and 
shouting, she came to the temple and looked in, and saw the 
king, standing by a pillar, with the crown on his head. The 
princes of the land stood by him, and all the people rejoiced, 
and blew on trumpets, and the singers in the temple sang to 
instruments of music. Then the queen was angry; she rent her 


390 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


clothes, and cried out, Here is rebellion! Here is rebellion! 
But the high priest said to the Levites, Take her out from the 
temple, for she must not be slain in the house of the Lord. So 



THE CROWNING OP JOASH. 


they took hold of her and brought her out, near to the king’s 
palace, and slew her there. 

Afterward the high priest made a covenant with king Joash, 
and with all the people, and they promised to serve the Lord. 
For the queen had served Baal, and kept a house with images 















THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 391 


of the idol in it, but the temple of the Lord she had allowed to 
go to decay. She had allowed her sons also, to break into the 
temple, and carry away the sacred vessels of gold and silver, 
and put them into the house of Baal. But when the queen was 
dead all the people went to Baal’s house, and tore it down, and 
broke the altars and images, and killed the priest of Baal. 
Then Jehoiada, the high priest, sent the priests of the Lord and 
the Levites, to the temple, to attend to the worship of God there; 
he set porters also to watch at the gates, so that no one who was 
forbidden might enter. 

When Joash grew older and saw how the temple was broken 
and decayed, he called the priests and Levites to him, saying, 
Go out through all the cities of Judah, and gather money from 
the people, to mend and repair the house of the Lord. And see 
that you make haste in doing it. But the Levites did not make 
haste. Then the king sent for Jehoiada, the high priest, and 
said to him, Why do not the Levites bring the money to repair 
Ihe house of the Lord. 

So Jehoiada took a chest and bored a hole in the lid of it, 
and set it before the door of the temple. And word was sent 
through all the land, that every man should bring a piece of 
silver money, called a half shekel, as an offering to the Lord. 
Then all the princes and the half shekel. 

people brought the money will¬ 
ingly, and cast it into the chest. 

As soon as much had been cast 
in, the high priest and the king’s 
officer came, and emptied it out 
and counted it, and put it in 
bags and gave it to the men who were set over the carpenters, 
the masons and the builders, that were mending the house. 

After the work was done, and the house was finished, these 
men brought the money that was left and gave it to the king 
and Jehoiada; and they had spoons and vessels of gold and 
silver made of it, to take the place of those which had been 
carried away by the sons of queen Athaliah. And Jehoiada, 
the high priest, caused sacrifices to be offered up at the temple 



392 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


every day. He persuaded the king also to obey the Lord ; for 
though Joash had taken pains to repair the temple, he did not 
love God in his heart. Yet as long as Jehoiada lived he did 
what was right. But Jehoiada, when he was a hundred and 
thirty years old, died. And they buried him in Jerusalem in 
the same sepulchre where the kings were buried, because he 
had done good in Judah, obeying the Lord himself and teach¬ 
ing the people to obey him. 

Now the princes of Judah were wicked men ; for although they 
had worshipped at the temple while Jehoiada was alive, it was 
only because Jehoiada had persuaded the king to worship there, 
and they went to the temple with him. As soon as Jehoiada 
was dead they came to the king, and said that they wanted to 
worship at the temple no more. And the king, whose own 
heart was wicked, gave them permission to stay away. Then 
they went and worshipped idols. 

And Zechariah the priest, the son of Jehoiada, when he saw 
the wickedness of the princes and the people, spoke to them, 
saying, Why do you disobey the commandments of the Lord, 
and so bring trouble on the land? for you cannot prosper 
while you disobey him. But king Joash was angry at Zech¬ 
ariah for saying this, and commanded the people to stone him ; 
then they took stones and stoned him to death, even in the court 
of the temple. So Joash forgot how kind Jehoiada, Zechariah’s 
father, had been to him in making him king, and he slew Zech¬ 
ariah, Jehoiada’s son. And Zechariah, as he was dying, said 
to the people, The Lord will see what you have done, and will 
punish you for it. 

And what Zechariah said came true, for at the end of the year 
the Syrians made war against Judah. They came into Jeru¬ 
salem, and slew the princes, and took away their silver and gold, 
and sent it to the king of Syria at Damascus. For the king of 
Syria had not come up himself against Jerusalem, nor sent a 
great army there. He had sent only a small company of men ; 
and the Lord gave them the victory over a great multitude of 
the men of Judah, because the men of Judah had ceased to 
obey him. So the Lord punished king Joash, and the people, 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 393 


for their sins. A great sickness came upon Joash also, 
and, after the Syrians were gone, his own servants rebelled 
against him and slew him while he lay in his bed. And they 
buried him in Jerusalem, but not in the sepulchre of the kings. 
He had reigned forty years. And Amaziah, his son, was made 
king over the land. 

Amaziah, after he was made king, gathered together a great 



THE STONING OF ZECHARIAH. 

army out of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, three hundred 
thousand men, who could fight with spear and shield. He hired 
also, a hundred thousand more brave and strong soldiers from 
the kingdom of Israel, and paid them a hundred talents of sil¬ 
ver, to go with the men of Judah and Benjamin against the 
Edomites. But there came a prophet to him, saying, O king, 
let not the men of Israel go with thee to the battle, for the Lord 
















394 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


is not with them to help them. And if they go, he will not help 
thee; for God has power to help thee against thy enemies, or to 
give them the victory over thee. Amaziah said to the prophet, 
But what shall I do for the hundred talents of silver which I 
have paid to the men of Israel ? The prophet answered, The 
Lord is able to give thee back much more than this, if thou wilt 
trust in him. Then Amaziah obeyed the command of the Lord, 
and sent the men of Israel to their own homes. And they left 
in great anger, because they could not go out to war with the 
men of Judah and Benjamin. 

And Amaziah went with his army against the Edomites, and 
the Lord gave him the victory over them. But when he came 
from the battle he brought with him the idols of the men of Edom, 
and set them up to be his gods. Therefore the Lord was dis¬ 
pleased with Amaziah, and sent a prophet to speak with him, 
saying, Why dost thou worship the idols of Edom that could not 
help the Edomites themselves when thou didst go up to fight 
against them ? But Amaziah was angry at the prophet, and said 

to him, Art thou the one to 
tell me what I should do ? 
Be silent, lest I punish thee. 
Then the prophet spoke to 
him about the idols no 
more ; yet he said to Ama¬ 
ziah, I know that God has 
determined to destroy thee, 
because thou hast done this 
wicked thing, and wilt not 
cease, although he has sent 
thee w r ord. 

After this Amaziah sent 
messengers to the king of 
Israel, saying, Come, let us 
look one another in the 
face: he meant that they 
should come out with their armies and fight with each other. 
But the king of Israel answered him, and said, Because thou hast 



BREAKING DOWN THE WALLS OP JERUSALEM. 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 395 


gained the victory over the Edomites, therefore thou art proud 
and ready to boast. But stay now at home; why shouldst thou 
meddle with me, and so bring trouble on thyself and on all the 
people of Judah with thee? But Amaziah would not listen to 
the king of Israel, because the Lord meant to punish him, and 
the people of Judah, for worshipping the idols of Edom. 

So Amaziah went out with the army of Judah, and the king of 
Israel came out against him; then the men of Judah were afraid 
and fled. And the king of Israel took Amaziah captive, and 
brought him back to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of 
the city. He went into the temple and took the vessels of gold 
and silver that were there, and the treasures that were in the 
king’s palace, and carried away some of the people, as captives, 
to his own city of Samaria. After this the people of Jerusalem 
rebelled against Amaziah, and when he tried to escape from them 
they followed him and killed him. And they brought his dead 
body upon horses to Jerusalem, and buried him there. He had 
been king over Judah for twenty-nine years. 


2 CHRON. XXVI.-XXXI. ISAIAH. 

B. C. 810-720. 

tJZZIAH OBEYS GOD AND PROSPERS. HIS GREAT ARMY. HE GROWS 
PROUD AND ENTERS THE TEMPLE. THE REIGN OF JOTHAM. ISAIAH 
IS SENT. THE REIGN OF AHAZ AND PART OF HEZEKIAH’S REIGN. 

A ND all the people of Judah took Uzziah, Amaziah’s son, 
and made him king. He was sixteen years old when he 
began to reign, and at first he did what was right; for he had a 
good and wise counsellor, named Zechariah, whose advice he 
followed, and as long as he did right the Lord caused him to 
prosper. He built towers by the gates of Jerusalem, and made 
them ready for war. He owned a great many cattle, and had 
wells dug for them out in the fields where they fed, and towers 
built there for his herdsmen to go into and be safe from rob¬ 
bers. He loved to sow grain and plant vineyards, and he 
had husbandmen to work for him both on the plains, and in the 
mountains. 

He had also a great army of three hundred and seventy thou- 



396 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



sand men, and he made for them shields and spears, helmets and 
bows, and slings to throw stones. He built in Jerusalem curious 
engines, which he put in the towers and on the walls, to shoot 
arrows and stones against his enemies when 
they should come to make war on the city. 
And God helped him in fighting against the 
Philistines, so that he took cities from them; 
the Ammonites brought him gifts, and all 
the nations heard of him, for he became 
very great and strong. 


But when he was strong he grew proud and disobeyed the Lord; 
for he went into the temple, where the priests only were, allowed 
to go, and took a censer in his hand to burn incense on the golden 
altar. Then Azariali, the high priest, and eighty other priests 
with him, who were not afraid to reprove the king, went into 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 397 


the temple after him, and said to him, It is not right for thee, 
Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but only for the priests, the 
descendants of Aaron, who are commanded to burn incense. Go 
out of the temple, for thou hast sinned, neither will the Lord 
be pleased with thee for doing this thing. But Uzziah was angry 
at the priests for speak¬ 
ing these words, and while 
he was angry, suddenly the 
leprosy came on his fore¬ 
head, and the priests saw 
it there as he stood beside 
the golden altar. Then 
they took hold of him and 
thrust him out of the tem¬ 
ple; yes, he himself made 
haste to go, because the 
Lord had sent this pun¬ 
ishment upon him. 

And Uzziah, the king, 
was never cured, but was 
a leper till his death; he 
lived in a house by himself, because God had said that no leper 
should live with the rest of the people: and Jotham, his son, 
ruled for him, over the land. Uzziah was king for fifty-two 
years, and he died, and they buried him in Jerusalem; a*id then 
Jotham was made king. 

Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and 
he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He built cities in the 
mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and tow¬ 
ers. He went out to war against the Ammonites, and made 
them his servants, and they gave him each year, a hundred tal¬ 
ents of silver, ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand 
measures of barley. And he became very great, because in all 
that he did he tried to please the Lord. 

But though he served the Lord, the people did wickedly; and 
God sent Isaiah the prophet to speak *o them. Isaiah came and 
told them, That even the dumb ox remembered his master, who 



UZZIAH DRIVEN FROM THE TEMPLE. 









398 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


was kind to him and fed him, but the children of Israel did not 
remember the Lord who gave them every good thing that they 
had. For the land was full of idols, and the people worshipped 
them though they had made them out of pieces of wood with 
their own hands. The Lord asked them why they offered up 
sacrifices to him at the temple, when they went away afterward 
to worship idols, and disobey all his commandments. He did 
not care for their sacrifices any more, he said, and when they 
should pray to him, he would not hear them. If they would 
cease to do evil and learn to do good, then, the Lord said he 
would forgive them and bless them. 

But they would not do this, for their priests, their princes, 
and all the men of Judah, did wickedly. Because of their sins, 
Isaiah told them, the Lord w T as very angry with them, and he 
would call their enemies from far off countries to punish them. 
These enemies would come swiftly with sharp spears and 
arrows; they would be fierce as lions, and no man could save 
the people out of their hands. For the people of Judah 
should be carried away captive, their land would be left 
lonely and desolate, briars and thorns should grow over it, 
the cities should have no one living in them, and Jerusalem 
and the temple would be destroyed. But, after many years, 
Isaiah said, they should be rebuilt, for the Lord would raise 
up a great king named Cyrus, who would command that the 
city and the temple should be built again. 

Isaiah lived more than seven hundred years before our Sa¬ 
viour came on the earth, yet he prophesied about him as descend¬ 
ed from king David, and born as a little child ; he told also how 
he would grow up to have sorrow and suffering, and afterward 
be put to death for the people’s sins. And Isaiah spoke of John 
the Baptist as the one who would come before the Saviour, and 
preach to the people out in the wilderness, telling them to make 
ready for the Saviour’s coming by repenting of their sins. 

But the people of Judah would not listen to the preaching 
of Isaiah, and God took away their good king from them, for 
Jotham died. And Ahaz, his son, was made king. 

Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign. He 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 399 


did not serve God as his father had done, but served idols and 
offered up sacrifices to them on the high places and the hills, and 
under the shade of trees; and made his sons pass through the fire 
before them as the heathen nations did. And the Lord sent 
the kings of Syria and Israel against him. They came up to 
Jerusalem and besieged the city. The king of Syria took many 
of the people captive, and carried them away to his own city of 
Damascus; and the king of Israel killed a hundred and twenty 
thousand of the men of Judah in one day. He took away also, 
great numbers of the women and children, and brought them to 
the city of Samaria where he lived. 

And not only the kings of Syria and Israel made war against 
Ahaz, but the Edomites and the Philistines came up and fought 
against him. Then Ahaz took some of the silver and gold out 
of the temple, and some of the treasures out of his own palace, 
and sent them to Tiglath-pilezer, king of Assyria, and asked 
that king to help him against his enemies. And Tiglath-pilezer 
took the present of gold and silver and did as Ahaz asked him, 
for he fought against the Syrians and took the city of Damascus 
from them; but it did Ahaz little good, because the Lord was 
against him on account of his sins. 

And Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pilezer. While 
he was there he saw an idol’s altar that greatly pleased him. 
And he sent the pattern of it to the high priest in Jerusalem, 
commanding him to make one like it. The high priest did so, 
9 nd put the altar he had made in the court of the temple. 
When Ahaz returned to Jerusalem he went to it and offered 
sacrifices on it: he even took away the altar of the Lord from 
its place in the court, to make room for the idol’s altar. 

After this Ahaz did still more wickedly. For he took to 
pieces the lavers which Solomon had made to stand and hold 
water in the court of the temple; he took down the great sea 
of brass from the backs of the twelve oxen on which it rested, 
and set it on the pavement of the court. He also carried out 
from the temple the sacred vessels of gold and silver and cut 
them in pieces. Then he shut up the doors of the temple, so 
that no one could go there to worship ; but in every corner of 


400 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Jerusalem he set up his idols, and in every city of the land he 
made high places on which to burn sacrifices to them. And 
the Lord was very angry with Ahaz and the people of Judah 
for their wickedness. 

Ahaz was king for sixteen years and he died, and was buried 
in Jerusalem, but they did not bury him in the sepulchre of the 
kings. And Hezekiah his son was made king in his place. 

Hezekiah did what was right and served the Lord. As soon 
as he was made king he opened the doors of the temple, which 
his father Ahaz had shut up, and he called the priests and Le- 
vites who had been sent away from the temple, to come and 
cleanse it and put it in order, so that God might be worshipped 
there again. For he said, Our fathers have done wrong; they 
have shut up the doors of the temple and have put out the lamps, 
and not burned incense, or offered burnt offerings. And the 
Lord has been angry with us and sent us trouble, and shame, 
as you have seen; our men have been killed by our enemies, and 
our sons and daughters have been led away captive on account 
of these things. 

And now, Hezekiah said, I want to make a promise and a 
covenant with the Lord, to obey him, so that he may not be an¬ 
gry with us any more. Therefore, ye priests and Levites, be 
diligent and make haste to cleanse, and open the house of the 
Lord; for you are the ones whom he has chosen to go into his 
house, and attend to his worship. Then the priests, when they 
heard what the king said, went into the inner part of the temple, 
and brought out all the uncleanness that they found there, and 
the Levites took it and emptied it into the brook Kidron. They 
began this work on the first day of the month, and on the six¬ 
teenth day they came to the king, saying, We have cleansed all 
the house of the Lord, and the altar that is in the court, and the 
table on which is set the shewbread; and the vessels of gold and 
silver which Ahaz took away, we have put there again, and all 
things are ready. 

Then king Hezekiah rose early in the morning and called the 
rulers of the city, and they went up together to the temple. 
They took with them seven bullocks and seven rams, seven lambs 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 401 


and seven goats; and Hezekiah commanded the priests to offer 
these up on the altar as a sacrifice for all the people’s sins. And 
Hezekiah set the priests and the Levites in the temple, to play- 
on instruments and sing praises to the Lord. When the offering 
began to burn on the altar, the songs of praise began, with music 
from the cymbals, the harps, and the trumpets, that the priests 
and Levites held in their hands. And all the people worshipped 
and the singers sang and the trumpets sounded, until the burnt 
offering was finished. 

After the offerings which the king and the rulers had brought, 
were offered up, Hezekiah invited the people to bring their offer¬ 
ings ; and they brought seventy bullocks, a hundred rams, and 
two hundred lambs. And the priests offered up these also. And 
the king rejoiced, and the people with him, because the Lord had 
made them willing to bring their offerings to him, and because 
the Lord’s worship was begun at the temple once more. 

And Hezekiah wrote letters to all the people in Judah, and to 
the people of the ten tribes of Israel also, asking them to come 
to Jerusalem and keep the feast of the passover; for it had been 
many years since the people kept that feast as the Lord com¬ 
manded them to keep it. And the messengers whom the king 
sent, went out among the people, carrying the king’s letter, which 
said, Ye children of Israel, who have been disobeying the Lord, 
turn now and obey him; then he will turn to you and bless you. 
Be not like your fathers and your brothers who have gone on 
sinning against him, and been carried away captive for their 
sins; but obey his commandments, and come to his temple and 
serve him, that he may take away his anger from you. If you 
will do this, he will remember those who have been taken cap¬ 
tive, and will make their enemies kind to them, so that they will 
allow them to come back to their own land. 

So the messengers with the king’s letters, went out through all 
the land. But when they came into the land of Israel, the men 
of the ten tribes would not listen to them; they mocked them 
and laughed them to scorn. Yet not all the men of Israel did 
this, for some of them confessed their sins and were sorry for 
them, and came to Jerusalem. But in the land of Judah, the 
26 


402 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Lord made all the people willing to come. So there came to 
Jerusalem a very great company of people to keep the feast. 
But before they began to keep it, they went out through the 
city and took away all the idols’ altars that were still left there, 
and cast them into the brook Kidron. 

Then they made ready to keep the feast of the passover: each 
man took a lamb, and brought it to the temple; there it was 
killed before the altar. Afterward the man took it to his own 
house, and it was roasted with fire, and he and his family ate 
of it in the night, as the children of Israel did on the night 
that they came out of Egypt. For the Lord wanted the people 
to remember that night, how he had saved them from Pharaoh 
and the cruel Egyptians; therefore he commanded them to 
keep this feast every year. But they had neglected to do so, 
and now Hezekiah called them to Jerusalem to keep it again, 
so that they might obey the Lord, and he might be pleased 
with them and bless them. 

We have read that when the children of Israel kept the pass- 
over the first time in Egypt, they were commanded to eat only 
one kind of bread, called unleavened bread; and for seven days 
afterward they were allowed to eat no other bread but this. So 
now, and for seven days after they had eaten the lamb, they ate 
unleavened bread. And they kept the feast through all those 
seven days with gladness. The priests and the Levites sang 
praises every day, playing on harps and trumpets. And the 
Levites went out among the people and taught them the law of 
the Lord, that they might know his law, and take care to obey it. 
And king Hezekiah spoke kindly to the Levites who were doing 
this work, and encouraged them to go on in it. 

Through the seven days of the feast the people feasted on the 
flesh of the peace offerings which they had brought to the tem¬ 
ple, and they confessed their sins to the Lord. And after they 
had kept these seven days, they all agreed to stay seven days 
more, praising God. And king Hezekiah and the princes 
gave them great numbers of cattle for sacrifices, tw T o thou¬ 
sand bullocks and seventeen thousand sheep. And all the peo¬ 
ple of Judah, with the priests and Levites, and the men of 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 403 


Israel also, who had come to keep the feast with them, rejoiced; 
for since the time when Solomon lived, no such feast had been 
kept in Jerusalem. 

When the feast was over, the people went out to the different 
cities of the land and broke in pieces all the idols that they 
found there, and destroyed the high places and the altars that 
had been made to worship idols on. They did this both in the 



LEVITES BEADING THE LAW TO THE PEOPLE. 


land of Judah and in the land of Israel. Afterward they 
returned every man to his own home. 

And Hezekiah, sent the different courses, or companies, of the 
priests and Levites, to the temple, as king David had appointed 
them, to take turns in attending to the worship of the Lord; and 
he gave them sacrifices to be offered up every day, in the morn¬ 
ing and evening, and on the sabbath, and feast days. The king 
told the people also, to bring a tenth part of all that grew in their 
fields to the priests and Levites for food, as Moses had com¬ 
manded ; for the people had long neglected to do this. But now 
they obeyed the king and brought these things to the temple. Not 
only the people of Judah did so, but many who lived in the land 
of Israel. In the third month they began to bring them, and they 
kept on bringing until the seventh month. 











404 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


When the king and the princes came to the temple and saw 
the great heaps of food that had been brought, they thanked 
the Lord who had made the people willing to bring so much. 
Then Hezekiah asked the priests and the Levites how it hap¬ 
pened that there was so much. Azariah, the chief priest, 
answered him, saying, Ever since the people began to bring 
their offerings, the priests and Levites have had enough to eat, 
and not only enough, but plenty to spare; for after eating all 
they wanted, these heaps are left. For the Lord has not only 
made the people willing to bring offerings, but he has blessed 
their fruit and their grain, out in the field, making them grow 
well so that the people have had large offerings to bring. 

Then Hezekiah commanded that some chambers, or store 
rooms, should be made ready, near the temple, where the heaps 
of food could be brought and kept safe. And they made the 
chambers ready and brought the food into them. And Heze¬ 
kiah appointed some of the Levites to take care of it, and to 
give to all the priests and Levites as much as they needed for 
themselves and their families to eat: not only to those whose 
turn it was to stay at the temple; but to those also who 
were resting at home, or teaching the laws of God to the 
people in different parts of the land. 


2 KINGS XVIII.-XXI. 2 CHRON. XXXII., XXXIII. 
ISAIAH XXXVII.-XXXIX. MICAH. 

B. C. 713-641. 


THE KING OP ASSYRIA COMES INTO THE LAND OF ISRAEL. AN ANGEL 
DESTROYS HIS ARMY. THE WICKEDNESS OF THE PEOPLE. MICAH 
THE PROPHET IS SENT. REIGNS OF MANASSEH AND AMMON. 


A FTER these things, the king of Assyria came into Judah 
with his army, and took some of the cities of the land. 
When Hezekiah heard of it he built up the walls of Jerusalem, 
where they had been broken down, and made shields and darts 
in abundance. And he gathered the men of Judah together, 
and set captains over them and spoke to them, saying, Be strong 
and brave, fear not the king of Assyria or the multitude that is 
with him, for there are more on our side than on his. He has 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 405 


men to fight for him, but we have God to fight for us. Never¬ 
theless, Hezekiah, because he was afraid of the king of Assyria, 
sent him a great deal of gold and silver so that he should not 
fight any more against Judah. Then the king of Assyria took 
the gold and silver and returned to his own land. But after¬ 
ward he wickedly came back with his army into the land of 
Judah, and made war against it. 

And he stopped at a city called Lachish, to besiege it, but 
he sent his servants on before him to Jerusalem, to tell the peo¬ 
ple he was coming there also. And his servants came and said 
to the people, Thus saith the king of Assyria, Do not listen to 
Hezekiah when he tells you that he is able to fight. against me, 
and that the Lord will save you out of my hand. Listen not 
to his words, but make an agreement with me; pay me now 
tribute money of gold and silver, and come out and be my ser¬ 
vants. Then I will do you no. harm, but will let you alone until 
I return to take you to another land. Then the servants of the 
king of Assyria cried with 
loud voices to the people 
who were on the walls of 
Jerusalem, to frighten them 
and make them willing to 
give up the city. And they 
spoke against God, as though 
he were like the idols that 
the heathen nations wor¬ 
shipped. 

When Hezekiah heard 
what they said, he rent his 
clothes and put on sack¬ 
cloth, and went up to the 
temple to pray to the Lord. 

And he sent priests and el¬ 
ders to Isaiah, the prophet, Assyrians crying to the men on the wall. 

telling him of the message of the king of Assyria, and asking 
him to pray for the people. And the priests and elders came 
and told Isaiah. Then Isaiah sent word to king Hezekiah, 






406 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


saying, Thus saith the Lord; Be not afraid of the words 
which the king of Assyria has spoken against me; for I will 
send a great punishment upon him, and he shall turn and go 
back to his own land, and there I will cause him to be put 
to death with the sword. 

So Hezekiah would not obey the command of the king of 
Assyria to give up the city. And that king’s servants went 
back to their master, and told him what Hezekiah said. Then 
the king sent his servants again to Hezekiah with a letter, 
saying, Do not let thy God make thee believe that I cannot 
take Jerusalem. Thou hast heard how the kings of Assyria 
have destroyed other nations; their gods were not able to save 
them, and can thy God save thee ? 

When Hezekiah read the letter which the king of Assyria had 
sent, he was in great trouble, and he took it and went up to the 
temple and there spread it open before the Lord. And Heze¬ 
kiah prayed and said, O Lord, thou art the only God over all 
the kingdoms of the earth ; for it was thou who didst make the 
heaven and the earth. Lord, open thine eyes and see, and 
turn thine ears and hear the words which the king of Assyria 
has spoken against thee. It is true that he has destroyed the 
other nations and cast their gods into the fire, for those gods 
were only dumb idols, made out of wood and stone; therefore 
he was able to destroy them. But now, O Lord, he is seeking 
to destroy Jerusalem. Save us, I pray thee out of his hands, 
so that all the kingdoms may know that thou art not like the 
idols of the heathen nations, but that thou art the Lord, and 
that there is no other God beside thee. 

And the Lord heard Hezekiah’s prayer, and commanded 
Isaiah, the prophet, to send a messenger to him, saying, Thus 
saith the Lord, I have heard the words which thou hast prayed 
to me against the king of Assyria, and I will do to him as thou 
hast asked. He shall not come before the city with shields and 
spears, nor build forts around it, neither shall he shoot an arrow 
into it. By the way that he came he shall return again, for I 
will save Jerusalem out of his hands. And what Isaiah said 
came true, for that night the Lord sent his destroying angel into 



KING HEZEKIAH, CLOTHED IN SACKCLOTH, SPREADS OPEN THE LETTER BEFORE THE LORD. 


















408 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



all my heart, and have done those things that pleased thee. 
And Hezekiah wept greatly. And the Lord commanded Isaiah 
to go back to Hezekiah, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have 
heard thy prayer, and seen thy tears; behold I will make thee 
well; in three days thou shalt go up to the temple, and I will 


the camp of the Assyrians, and the angel slew a hundred and 
eighty-five thousand of them. Then the king of Assyria went 
back with shame to his own land. There, while he was worship¬ 
ping in the house of his idol, two of his own sons put him to 
death. So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Judah 
from the king of Assyria, and from all their other enemies. 

In those days king Hezekiah was sick, and the prophet Isaiah 
went to him, and said, The Lord hath sent thee word to make 
all things ready, for thou shalt die and not live. After the pro¬ 
phet had spoken these words, he came out from Hezekiah’s cham¬ 
ber. Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed, 
saying, O Lord, remember, now, how I have served thee with 


THE DESTROYING ANGEL SLAYS THE ASSYRIANS. 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 409 


add to thy life fifteen years. So Isaiah went back and spoke 
these words to the king. And he said to the king’s servants, 
Take a lump of figs and lay it upon the boil. And they took 
the figs, and laid them upon the boil of which the king was sick, 
and he grew well again. 

And king Hezekiah had great riches and honor. He made 
for himself treasuries, or strong chambers, in which to keep his 



ANCIENT SHEEP PEN. 


gold and silver, his jewels and precious stones. He built store¬ 
houses also for his corn and wine and oil: and made stalls for 
his horses and cattle, and cotes, or pens, for his flocks of sheep •, 
for he had great numbers of all these things. And the Lord 
helped him so that he prospered in all that he did. 

Yet Hezekiah did not keep humble and thankful to God, for 
his blessings; he grew proud of his riches and power. And the 
king of Babylon heard of his greatness, and sent messengers with 



410 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



HEZEKIAH SHOWING HIS TREASURES. 


letters and a present for him. When the messengers came to 
Jerusalem, Hezekiah received them gladly, and in his pride, 
showed them his silver and gold, his horses and armor, and all 
the great things of his kingdom. 

Then Isaiah the prophet came to Hezekiah, and said, What 


























































THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 411 


did these men say ? and from whence did they come ? Hezekiah 
answered, They came from a far country, from Babylon. And 
Isaiah said, What have they seen in thy house ? Hezekiah an¬ 
swered, All that is in my house they have seen; there is nothing 
among my treasures that I have not shown them. Then Isaiah 
said, Hear what the Lord says to thee, The day is coming when 
all the riches that are in thy house, which thou and thy fathers 
have laid up, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be 
left. And some of thy own descendants also, shall they take 
away and make them servants in the palace of the king of 
Babylon. Hezekiah answered, All that the Lord will do is 
right; yet it is good in him not to send these troubles while I 
live, but to send peace and truth in my days. 

We have read how Hezekiah persuaded the people to put 
away their idols and serve the Lord, but they did this only for 
a time, and then went back to serving idols again. And God 
sent the prophet Micah to speak to them. Micah came and 
said, That God asked what he had done to make them weary of 
serving him. He had brought them up out of Egypt, from 
being servants to Pharaoh, and had sent Moses and Aaron 
to guide them through the wilderness. And afterward, when 
the king of Moab sent for Balaam to curse them, he made Ba¬ 
laam bless them instead ? And what did the Lord ask of the 
children of Israel, except to do justly, to be kind and merciful 
to each other, and humble and obedient to the Lord. 

But they would not do this, Micah said. Their rich men were 
cruel to those who were poor; their judges, who should punish 
the wicked, were wicked themselves. Scarcely any good men 
were left in the land; all were ready to rob and to kill, so that 
friends could not trust one another; and even brothers and 
sisters, and fathers and mothers, had come to be enemies, and 
to hate one another. On account of these things, Micah told 
them, the Lord would send a great punishment upon them. 
The people should be carried away to Babylon, and Jerusalem, 
their beautiful city, should be destroyed. Instead of houses in 
it there would be only heaps of stones. The temple also should 
be thrown down and taken away, until nothing was left of it, 


412 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


and the place where it stood should be plowed over like a field 
where the farmer sows his grain. 

Micah, like Isaiah, prophesied of the Saviour, telling where 
he should be born, that it would be in the city of Bethlehem. 
And not only Micah and Isaiah, but almost all the prophets 
that God sent, spoke, or taught, about him, so that the children 
of Israel might know the Saviour was coming; and so that we, 
who are living now, after he has come, may know that he is the 
Son of God, and that it was God who sent him. 

Hezekiah was king over Judah twenty-nine years, and he 
died, and they buried him in Jerusalem, in the best of the 
sepulchres of the kings; and Manasseh his son was made 
king in his place. 

Manasseh was twelve years old when he was made king, and 
he did wickedly. The Bible tells us that he worshipped all the 
host of heaven, that is, the sun, the moon, and the stars. He 
built up again the high places which his father Hezekiah had 
destroyed, and made idols’ altars in the courts around the tem¬ 
ple, and even set up an idol in the temple itself. He made his 

children pass through the fire 
before his idols, and he talked 
with familiar spirits, which 
the Lord had commanded 
the children of Israel not to 
do. He put to death also, 
many innocent persons in 
Jerusalem, who had done no 
wrong; so that he did more 
wickedly, and caused the 
people to do more wickedly, 
than the heathen nations 
used to do, that lived in 
Canaan before the children 
of Israel came there. 

And the Lord spoke to 
Manasseh and to the people, by his prophets, about their sins, 
but they would not hear. Therefore the Lord brought against 









THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 413 


them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who 
came and took Manasseh, as he was hiding from them among 
some bushes and thorns; and they bound him with chains, and 
carried him to Babylon. And when he was far away from his 
home, and in affliction, he remembered his sins, and repented 
of them, and prayed with all his heart to the Lord. And 
the Lord heard him, and was kind to him and brought him 
back to Jerusalem. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord 
was the only true God, and he took away the idol which 
he had set up in the temple, and all the altars that he had 
built in the courts around the temple, and cast them out of 
the city; and he repaired the altar of the Lord, and offered up 
sacrifices upon it. 

Manasseh was king over Judah for fifty-five years, and he 
died, and they buried him in the garden of his palace in Jeru¬ 
salem, and Ammon, his son, was made king. 

Ammon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, 
and he did evil; for he offered up sacrifices to all the carved 
images, that his father, Manasseh, had made; yet he did not 
afterward repent and put them away, as his father had done, 
but he went on sinning more and more. After he had been king 
for two years, his servants rebelled against him and killed him, 
and the people of the land chose Josiah, his son, for their king. 


2 KINGS XXII.-XXV. 2 CHRON. XXXIV.-XXXVI. 
JER. II.-XI., XVIII., XXXVI., XXXVIII., XXXIX. 

B.C. 641-588. 

THE REIGNS OF JOSIAH, JEHOAHAZ, JEHOIAKIM, JEHOIACHIN, AND ZED- 
EKIAH, AND THE END OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 

J OSIAH was eight years old when he was made king. He 
reigned thirty-one years, and did what was right; for while 
he was yet a boy he began to serve the Lord. He went out 
through all the land of Judah, and also among the people who 
were living in the land of Israel (for the ten tribes had been 
carried away captive before this time), and he made his servants 
destroy the altars of Baal wherever he found them, and tear 
down the images that were set up above the altars, and break 



414 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


them in pieces. Then he came back to Jerusalem, and set men 
at work to repair the temple where it had been allowed to go to 
decay; and the people brought money to the temple to pay the 
workmen for doing this. 

And Josiah sent one of his servants, saying, Go up to the high 
priest, and tell him to count the money which the people have 
brought, and let it be given to the carpenters, the builders, and 
the masons, who are at work repairing the temple. And the ser¬ 
vant went and told the high priest, who did with the money as 
the king commanded. Then the high priest said to the servant, 
I have found in the temple the book of the law. 

In the old times men did not know how to print books as we do 
now. Instead of printing, they wrote with pen and ink, on long 
rolls of paper, or parchment, and these rolls were called books. 
We have read that Moses before he died, wrote down in a book 
the laws which God had given him; and he commanded, that 
once in seven years those laws should be read out loud to all the 
people. But the wicked kings and people of Judah had not 
cared to hear God’s laws, and had neglected the book until it 
was lost and forgotten, and Josiah had never seen it. But now, 
while the temple was being repaired, the high priest found it 
again. And he gave it to the king’s servant, who took it to 
Josiah and said, The high priest has given me a book. And he 
read it to the king. 

When king Josiah heard his servant read the words of God’s 
law, and heard him read also of the punishments which God 
said he would send on the people for not obeying that law, 
he rent his clothes and wept. And he spoke to the high priest, 
saying, Go, and ask for me, what the Lord will do to us; for he 
is very angry, because our fathers have not obeyed the com¬ 
mands that are written in the book. Then the high priest went 
to a woman named Huldah, who was a prophetess, and asked 
her for the king. She answered, The Lord says, I will send 
upon Jerusalem and upon the people who live there, all the pun¬ 
ishments that are written in the book, because they have turned 
away from serving me, and gone to serve other gods. But as 
for king Josiah, who sent you, go and say to him, Thus saith the 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 415 



JOSIAH HEARING THE BOOK OP THE LAW. 



















































416 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Lord, Because thou wast grieved for the sins of the people, and 
didst humble thyself and weep before me, I will not send those 
punishments in thy days, and thou shalt not see all the evil that 
is coming upon Jerusalem. So the high priest came back and 
told king Josiah what the prophetess said. 

Then Josiah sent and gathered the priests, the Levites, and 
all the people together, and went up to the temple, and he read 
to them the words that were written in the book which the high 
priest had found. And the king stood by a pillar and made 
a covenant with the Lord, and promised to obey his command¬ 
ments with all his heart and with all his soul. And he caused 
the people to promise that they, too, would obey them. 

The wicked kings of Judah who lived before Josiah, had 
made spoons and forks and vessels, to be used in offering up 
sacrifices to Baal, and they had taken these things, into the 
temple. They had set up an idol, also, in the court of the 
temple, and appointed men as priests, to burn incense to it, 
and burnt offerings. But now Josiah put down these priests 
and would have them no more; and he sent the priests of the 
Lord to bring out from the temple, all the vessels that had been 
used in worshipping Baal, and the image that had been set up 
there; and he took the image and the vessels, outside of the 
city, and burnt them. And Josiah punished, or sent out of the 
land, all those persons who talked with familiar spirits. He 
sent men also to the valley of Hinnom, where the people used 
to make their children pass through the fire before the idol 
Molech, and he defiled, or spoiled, the valley, so that they should 
not use it in this way any more. 

And Josiah went to Bethel, where Jeroboam, the king-of Israel, 
had set up one of the golden calves which he made for the peo¬ 
ple of the ten tribes to worship. We have read how Jeroboam 
was burning incense on an altar to his idol, when a prophet came 
there and told him that a king should be born in Judah, named 
Josiah, who would burn men’s bones on that altar, to defile it, 
and make it unclean. It had been more than three hundred 
years since the prophet spoke those words. Jeroboam had long 
since been dead, and the people of the ten tribes had been car- 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 417 


ried away captive; yet now the prophet’s words came true. For 
Josiah went to Bethel to break down the idol’s altar, which was 
still there, and as he turned around, he saw sepulchres in the 
mountain near that place. And he sent and took men’s bones 
out of the sepulchres and burned them on the altar. 

We have read how Hezekiah, while he was king, sent for the 
people to come to Jerusalem and keep the feast of the pass- 
over, which they had not kept for many years. Yet after 
Hezekiah died, the people again neglected to keep it. But 
now Josiah called them to Jerusalem to keep that feast. And 
he gave them, out of his own flocks, thirty thousand lambs 
and kids, and three thousand bullocks, that they all might 
have sacrifices to offer. But, although they obeyed the com¬ 
mand of the king, and came to keep the feast, the people did 
not truly love God, or sincerely worship him; for in their 
hearts they still trusted in their idols. 

And Jeremiah, the prophet, came to them, and said, That 
God had brought them up out of Egypt by his mighty power, 
and given them that good land which he had promised to their 
fathers, but they had not thanked him for this, neither had 
they obeyed any of his commandments. God had seen their 
wickedness, Jeremiah told them, and was angry with them. 
Yet if they would turn from their evil ways he would for¬ 
give them, and keep back the punishments which were coming 
upon them. But the people would not hear what the prophet 
said to them. No man repented of his evil acts. They all went 
on in their wickedness, and sinned more and more. And while 
Jeremiah was speaking to them, they said one to another, Let 
us kill him. But God saved him out of their hands. 

After these things, the king of Egypt came up with his army 
into the land of Israel, and Josiah went out against him. And 
the king of Egypt sent word that he had not come to fight w 7 ith 
Josiah, but was going to make war against the king of Assyria, 
and he told Josiah to let him alone. But Josiah would not turn 
back ; he took off his own garments and put on others, that no 
one might know him, and went into the battle. And the archers 
of the king of Egypt shot their arrows at him and struck him; 

27 


418 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


then he said to his servants, Take me out of the battle, for I am 
sore wounded. And they took him out of his chariot and put 
him into another that was near, but he died; and they brought 
him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in the sepul¬ 
chre of the kings. And all the people mourned for him; and 
they made Jehoahaz, his son, king over Judah. 

Jehoahaz was twenty-two years old when he was made king, 
and he reigned but three months. He did not do right as his 
father had done, neither did the people obey God. And Pha¬ 
raoh, king of Egypt, came up against them; he took Jehoahaz 
and bound him with fetters, and carried him away to Egypt: 
there he kept him until he died. And Pharaoh made Jehoiakim, 
the brother of Jehoahaz, king in his place. But he forced Je¬ 
hoiakim, and the people of Judah, to pay him a great sum of 
money—a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. After 
Pharaoh had gone, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up 
against Judah, and Jehoiakim was not able to fight against him, 
so he promised to obey him and be his servant. And Nebu¬ 
chadnezzar took some of the sacred vessels out of the temple, 
and carried them to Babylon, and put them in the house of his 
idol there. 

In the fourth year that Jehoiakim was king, the Lord spoke 
to the prophet Jeremiah and commanded him to write down in a 
book all the punishments that were coming on the children of 
Israel. For the Lord said, that when the people should hear of 
those punishments, perhaps they would repent, so that he might, 
even yet, forgive them. And Jeremiah called to him a man 
named Baruch, who was a scribe, or writer; and Baruch wrote 

down the words as Jeremiah 
spoke them. Afterward Je¬ 
remiah told him to go and 
read them to the people. Then 
Baruch took the book up to 
the temple and read it, where 
all the people could hear. 

And the princes who sat in 
the king’s palace, heard of the book, and sent for Baruch to come 



WRITING MATERIALS. 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 419 


and read it to them. So he took the roll in his hand and went 
to them. And they said to him, Sit down now and read it to us. 
When they heard all the things that the Lord had spoken against 
the children of Israel, and of the punishments that he was going 
to send upon them, they were afraid, and said, Tell us now how 
didst thou write these words ? Baruch answered, Jeremiah spoke 
them to me with his mouth, and I wrote them down with ink in 
the book. Then the princes said to Baruch, We will tell the 
king. But go and hide, thou and Jeremiah, and let no man 
know where you are, lest the king be angry with you and seek 
to harm you. 

So they told king Jehoiakim of the book, and he sent his ser¬ 
vant to bring it. And his servant brought it, and read it before 
the king, and before all the princes who stood beside him. Now 
the king sat by the fire that was burning on the hearth, for it 
was winter. And as soon as his servant had read three or four 
leaves of the book, the king took his penknife and cut them out, 
and threw them into the fire; so he did till all the book was 
burned. Some of the princes who were with him begged him 
not to burn it, but he would not listen to them ; neither was he 
troubled, nor afraid, when he heard of all the evil that was 
coming upon the people for their sins. Yet he was angry at Jer¬ 
emiah and Baruch for writing the book, and sent his servants 
to take them, but the Lord hid them from him. 

Then the Lord commanded Jeremiah to take another roll and 
■write in it all the words that were written in the one which the 
king had burned. And Jeremiah took another roll and gave it 
to Baruch, and repeated to him the words that had been written 
in the first roll, and beside these many more that the Lord spoke 
to him. But the people hated Jeremiah for telling them of their 
sins, and he complained to the Lord, saying, Though I have done 
them no evil, yet every one of them doth curse me. Then the 
Lord promised that when the enemies of Jerusalem should come 
to take the city, they should not harm Jeremiah: Truly, the 
Lord said, I will cause them to treat thee kindly. 

Jehoiakim reigned eleven years, and he died, and Jehoiachin, 
his son, was made king in his place. 


420 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he was made king, 
and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. Then Nebuchad¬ 
nezzar, king of Babylon, came up against him, as he had come 
up against his father. And Jehoiachin promised to obey him. 
Then Nebuchadnezzar went into the temple, as he did when he 
came up before, and carried out more of the vessels of gold 
which Solomon made, and he cut them in pieces; he came also 
into the king’s palace and took away the treasures that were 
there. And he took king Jehoiachin, his mother, his wives, and 
the princes of Judah ; also the builders, the smiths, and the car¬ 
penters, and all the strong and brave soldiers that were in Jeru¬ 
salem, and carried them to Babylon. 

After they had gone to Babylon, the prophet Jeremiah wrote 
a letter to them, telling them to build houses, and plant gardens, 
and be contented in that land, because the Lord said they should 
stay there and serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. But 
when the seventy years w r ere ended, and they should repent of 
their sins and pray to be forgiven, then, Jeremiah said, the Lord 
would bring them back to their own land. 

As for the people who were still left in the land of Judah, 
Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah, the brother of Jehoiakim, king 
over them. But Zedekiah was the servant of the king of Bab¬ 
ylon, and had to promise before the Lord that he would obey 
him. Yet, after Nebuchadnezzar had gone back to Babylon, 
Zedekiah rebelled against him; the priests and the people of 
Judah, also, did wickedly. Then Nebuchadnezzar came up 
again with all the army of the Chaldeans, and made forts 
around Jerusalem, from which they shot darts and arrows at 
the men of Judah, who were on the walls and towers of the 
city; and Jerusalem was besieged, so that no one could go 
out or come in. 

Now Jeremiah, the prophet, was shut up in Jerusalem, with 
the rest of the people. And king Zedekiah, because he was 
afraid of the Chaldeans, sent word to him, asking him to pray 
to God that Jerusalem might be saved. But the Lord com¬ 
manded Jeremiah to tell the king, that the Chaldeans should 
certainly take the city and burn it with fire. Yet Jeremiah 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 421 


said, if the people would bear the punishment which the Lord 
was sending upon them, and would go out to the king of Babylon 



JEREMIAH LET DOWN INTO THE DUNGEON. 


and be his servants, without fighting any more against him, they 
should not be put to death. Whoever would go out should be 












422 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


saved alive, but whoever stayed in the city, would be killed by 
the sword, the famine, or the pestilence. For the Lord said 
that Jerusalem should be taken by the king of Babylon, and 
he would burn it with fire, because the Lord would punish 
the people for their sins. 

But some of the princes of Judah came to king Zedekiah, 
and said, We pray thee let Jeremiah be put to death, for he 
makes the people afraid, because he says the Lord will send 
famine and pestilence upon us, and will give the city to the 
king of Babylon. And the king told the princes they might 
do with Jeremiah as they chose. Then they took him and let 
him down with cords into a deep pit, or dungeon, that was in 
the prison; at the bottom of the dungeon was mire, so Jere¬ 
miah sank in the mire. 

But one of the officers at the king’s palace, when he heard what 
had been done, went to the king, and said, My lord the king, these 
men have done wickedly in putting Jeremiah into the dungeon, 
for he may die there of hunger. Then the king commanded the 
officer, saying, Take thirty men with thee, and bring Jeremiah 
out of the dungeon, that he die not. So the officer took men, 
and they carried with them some pieces of old clothes and rags, 
and let these down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah. And 
the officer called to him, saying, Put now these pieces of clothes 
and rags under thy arms, that the cords may not hurt thee. 
Jeremiah did as the officer said, and they drew him up by the 
cords out of the dungeon. Yet they did not set him free, for he 
was still kept in another part of the prison. 

Then king Zedekiah sent to Jeremiah again, after he had been 
taken up out of the dungeon, and he brought him into the entry 
of the temple, where he might talk with him secretly. And the 
king said to him, I will ask thee a question; do not hide the 
answer from me. Jeremiah answered, If I tell thee, wilt thou 
promise not to put me to death ? The king said, As surely as 
the Lord liveth I will not put thee to death, neither will I give 
thee to the men who want to kill thee. 

Then Jeremiah answered, saying, Thus saith the Lord, If thou 
wilt go out to the king of Babylon and be his servant, thou and 


J 



JEREMIAH TELLS THE KING THAT JERUSALEM SHALL BE TAKEN. 










424 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


thy family shall be saved alive, and this city shall not be 
burned. The king said, I am afraid if I shall go out to the 
Chaldeans, that they will give me back to the Jews (that is, to 
the men of Judah) who have turned against me, and that they 
will treat me cruelly. Jeremiah answered, The Chaldeans shall 
not give thee back to them. Do not be afraid, but obey, I be¬ 
seech thee, the command of the Lord, so that it may be well with 
thee, and thou shalt be saved alive. But if thou refuse to go 
out to the king of Babylon, thy wives and thy children shall be 
given to the Chaldeans, and thou thyself shalt not escape from 
them, and this city also shall be burned with fire. 

But king Zedekiah would not obey the command of the Lord, 
and go out to the king of Babylon. Therefore the Chaldeans 
fought against Jerusalem, and after they had besieged it for 
eighteen months the bread was all gone in the city; there was 
no more left for the people to eat. And in the night Zedekiah 
fled out of the city with his army. But the Chaldeans followed 
after him and caught him, and brought him to the king of Bab¬ 
ylon. Then that cruel king killed Zedekiah’s two sons, before 
his eyes; after he had done this he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and 
bound him with chains and carried him to Babylon. There he 
kept him in prison till he died. 

And the captain of Nebuchadnezzar’s army burnt the temple 
at Jerusalem, and the palace of the king, and the houses of the 
people, and broke down the walls all around the city. He car¬ 
ried away to Babylon the two pillars of brass, which Solomon 
had made to stand before the temple, and the sea of brass that 
stood on the backs of twelve oxen in the court of the temple, 
and whatever vessels of gold and silver were still left there. 
And the people of Jerusalem who were not slain, he carried 
away captive, except some of the poor of the land, whom he 
left to work in the fields and vineyards. Over these Nebu¬ 
chadnezzar set Gedaliah to be their governor. 

So the kingdom of Judah was ended, as the kingdom of Israel 
had been, on account of the sins of the people. It had lasted 
three hundred and eighty-eight years, ever since Relioboam was 
made king over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin; nineteen 


THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 425 


kings and one queen had ruled over the people during that time; 
of these, we are told, that fifteen did wickedly and five served 
the Lord. But even while they had good kings, the people wor¬ 
shipped idols. And though the Lord waited long, and gave 
them time to repent, and sent his prophets to warn and per¬ 
suade them, they would not obey him, and cease doing evil. 
Therefore, at last, he sent the people of Judah, as he had before 
sent the people of Israel, out of the land of Canaan. 


JEREMIAH XXXIX.-XLIII. 

B. C. 588. 

THE CHALDEANS TREAT JEREMIAH KINDLY. GEDALIAH IS SLAIN. THE 
JEWS, TAKING JEREMIAH WITH THEM, FLEE INTO EGYPT. 

¥ E have read the promise which the Lord made to Jeremiah, 
that the Chaldeans would treat him kindly when they 
should come to take Jerusalem. And now the Lord made his 
promise come true, for, after the city was taken, the king of 
Babylon commanded the captain of his army, saying, Take Jere¬ 
miah and be good to him, and do him no harm, but do unto 
him whatever he shall ask of thee. So the captain sent and took 
Jeremiah out of prison, where the men of Judah had left him, 
and he said to him, If it please thee to come with me to Bab¬ 
ylon, come; and I will take care of thee; but if thou wouldst 
rather stay here, do not come. All the land is before thee to go 
wherever it shall please thee to go; or thou canst go and live 
with Gedaliah, whom the king has made governor over the cities 
of Judah. Then the captain gave Jeremiah money and food, 
and let him go; and Jeremiah went and lived with Gedaliah, 
because he wanted to stay with the people that were still left in 
the land. 

Now some of the Jews had fled out into the fields, and away 
to other countries, when the Chaldeans took Jerusalem; therefore 
they were not taken captive with those that went to Babylon. 
And when they heard that Nebuchadnezzar had left some of the 
people still living in the land, and had made Gedaliah governor 
over them, they came back to the land of Judah, to the city of 
Mizpeh, where Gedaliah lived ; for he could not live in Jerusalem 




426 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


because it was destroyed. And Gedaliah spoke kindly to the 
Jews who came to him and said to them, Do not be afraid to 
come back and live in your own land. For if you will stay here 
and sow your seed and gather in your grain, and serve the king 
of Babylon, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. 


EASTERN OX CART. 

So the people came and lived in the land, and gathered in much 
fruit and grain from their fields. 

Then some men came to Gedaliah and spoke to him, saying, 
Dost thou not know that the king of the Ammonites has sent 
Ishmael, one of the princes of Judah, to slay thee? And one of 
the men who came to tell him this, spoke secretly to Gedaliah, 
and said, Let me go therefore and put Ishmael to death, and no 
one shall know of it; for why should he slay thee and cause all 
the people who are left in the land to be scattered and destroyed? 
But Gedaliah would not believe what the man said; he an¬ 
swered him, saying, Thou shalt not put Ishmael to death, for 
what thou tellest me about him is not true. Yet what the man 
said was true; for after that, Ishmael came, and ten men with 



THE STORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 427 


him, to Gedaliah’s house, pretending that they wanted only to 
eat at his table. But after they had eaten they rose up and slew 
him; and Ishmael fled away into the land of the Ammonites. 
Then all the people were afraid lest the king of Babylon should 
come and punish them, because Gedaliah, whom he had made 
governor over them, was slain. 

And they came to Jeremiah, and said, Pray to the Lord for us, 
that he may show us where we shall go and what we shall do. 
Jeremiah answered, I will pray for you as you ask me, and what¬ 
ever the Lord shall tell me, I will tell you; I will hide nothing 
from you. Then they said to Jeremiah, All that the Lord shall 
command us, we will do; whether it be good or whether it be 
bad for us, we will obey the voice of the Lord, so that he may 
help us and take care of us. 

And Jeremiah prayed to the Lord, and after ten days the 
Lord answered him, and told him what he should say to the 
people. So Jeremiah called them to hear, and he said to them, 
Thus saith the Lord, If you will stay in this land I will bless 
you. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, for I am with you 
to save you from harm, and I will make him kind to you, so 
that he shall let you live in your own land. But if you disobey 
me and say, We will not live in this land, but will go into Egypt, 
because there we shall have bread enough to eat, and shall have 
no more war, then, after you have gone, the war and the famine 
that you fear, shall follow you, and there in Egypt you shall die, 
and you shall see your own land no more. 

When the people heard these words, all the proud and wicked 
men among them answered Jeremiah, saying, Thou speakest 
falsely, for the Lord did not tell thee to say that we should not 
go down into Egypt, but thou dost want us to stay here, that 
the Chaldeans may come and put us to death, or carry us away 
captives to Babylon. So they w r ould not obey the command¬ 
ment of the Lord, but they took all the people, the men, the 
women, and the children, who were left in the land of Judah, 
and Jeremiah also, and brought them down into the land of 
Egypt. Then those words came true that the prophet Isaiah 
had spoken more than a hundred years before, when he said, 


428 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


that the land of Judah should be left lonely and desolate; that 
briars and thorns should grow over it, and that the houses 
should have no one living in them. 


THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL. 


CHAPTERS L-VIII. 

B. C. 595-594. 


EZEKIEL IN A VISION IS COMMANDED TO SPEAK TO THE CAPTIVES BY 
THE RIVER CHEBAR. HE MAKES KNOWN BY SIGNS THE COMING 
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM. IN A SECOND VISION HE IS CARRIED 
TO THE TEMPLE AND SHOWN THE IDOLATRY OF THE JEWS. 


W E have read that while Jehoiachin was king in Jerusalem, 
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up and besieged 
the city. And Jehoiachin, because he was afraid of Nebuchad¬ 
nezzar, went out to him and promised to be his servant. Then 
Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin, his mother, his wives, and the 
princes of Judah; the builders also, and carpenters, and all the 
strong and brave soldiers that were in Jerusalem, and carried 
them away as captives. Yet Nebuchadnezzar did not at that 
time destroy Jerusalem, nor take all the people away; he left 
some of them and made Zedekiah their king. But he took 
many of the Jews to his own land, and there gave them a 
place where they might live by the river Chebar. The Lord 
allowed Nebuchadnezzar to take them, because he was pun¬ 
ishing them for their sins. 

Yet even after they had been carried away captive, the Jews 
would not obey the Lord. We have read how Jeremiah, the 
prophet, wrote a letter to them from Jerusalem, telling them to 
serve the king of Babylon and be contented in the land to 
which he had taken them, because the Lord said they should stay 
there for seventy years. But instead of doing as Jeremiah told 
them, they found fault, and complained and wanted to go back 
to Jerusalem ; for they would not believe that the city was to be 
destroyed, and that the Jews who were still living there, were to 
be carried away captive too. The prophets of the Lord had told 




THE BOOK OF EZEKTEL. 


429 


them so, but they chose to believe the false prophets who said 
that these things should not happen. 

Now among the captives by the river Chebar, was a priest 
named Ezekiel. And in the fifth year after they were carried 
away, Ezekiel had a vision. He looked, and behold a whirlwind 
came out of the north, and with the whirlwind a cloud; and out of 
the midst of the cloud came four cherubim. Above the wings of 
the cherubim was a throne, and on the throne Ezekiel saw a form 
like the form of a man, yet not made of flesh; it seemed to be of 
fire, or as if fire were burning within it: and around it were 
bright colors like a rainbow. This form that Ezekiel saw, sit¬ 
ting upon a throne, with a rainbow around it, was a likeness of 
the glory of the Lord. And when he saw it he turned away his 
eyes, and fell on his face to the ground. 

And the Lord said to him, Stand upon thy feet. And when 
he had risen up, the Lord commanded him to go and speak to 
the Jews who were captives with him by the river Chebar. I 
send thee to them, the Lord said, because they are a disobedient 
people; both they and their fathers have disobeyed me. Yet 
thou shalt tell them my message whether they will hear or 
whether they will not hear. And be not thou afraid of them, 
though they be fierce as serpents and scorpions; or like 
briars and thorns that would tear thy flesh; fear them not, 
for I will make thee strong and brave when thou standest 
before them, and thou shalt speak all the words that I tell 
thee to speak against them. 

After this, the Lord commanded Ezekiel to take a tile, or 
earthen slate, and to draw upon it a picture of Jerusalem. 
And he was to set this picture of the city on the ground, with 
an iron pan for its wall. And before it he was to build a little 
fort, in the shape of the forts which soldiers used to build around 
cities that they besieged in those days. Then Ezekiel was to lie 
down on the ground, upon his side, before the picture of Jeru¬ 
salem, with his face toward it; and there he was to stay many 
days. And while he lay there he was to eat only a little coarse 
bread, and to drink only a little water, every day. 

The Lord commanded Ezekiel to do these things, that the peo- 


430 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 

pie might see him; for in this way the Lord intended to teach 
them what would happen to Jerusalem; how Nebuchadnezzar 
would come up with his army against the city, and build forts 
around it and besiege it, for many days. And when the people 
should see Ezekiel taking only a little coarse bread and a little 
water every day, they would understand how the Jews who were 



EZEKIEL SHOWS BY SIGNS THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM. 

still in Jerusalem, were to suffer from famine, and how they 
would have hardly enough food to keep them from starving, 
while the Chaldeans were fighting against them. 

And the Lord commanded Ezekiel to take a barber’s razor and 
with it to shave off the hair of his head and his beard. After 
he had done this he was to take a pair of scales, and weigh out 
the hair into three equal parts. Then he was to go to the place 
where he had left the picture of Jerusalem; and one part of the 
hair he was to burn there, as though it were burned in the midst 
of the city; one part he was to cut up into small pieces with a 














THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL. 


431 


knife; and one part he was to hold out in his hand and let 
the wind blow it away on every side. 

And the Lord told Ezekiel, that so it should be done to the 
people in Jerusalem. For the Lord had chosen them to be his 
people before all other people, yet they had sinned against him 
more than any other people; therefore he was going to punish 
them as he had never punished any people before. A third part 
of them, he said, should die with the pestilence and the famine, 
in the midst of the city, like the hair that Ezekiel was to burn 
with fire; a third part should be killed by their enemies around 
and outside of the city, like the hair that he was to cut into 
pieces with a knife; and a third part should be carried away 
from their own land and scattered over all the earth, like the 
hair that Ezekiel was to hold out in his hand, for the wind to 
blow it away on every side. 

For the time had come, the Lord said, to punish the children 
of Israel for their sins, and very soon their punishment should 
come upon them. For he would send the worst of the heathen 
nations against them, who would destroy Jerusalem and go into 
the temple, even into the most holy place, and take away its 
precious and holy things. Then, the Lord said, the men of Israel 
would be weak with fear, and unable to fight against their ene¬ 
mies. And they would bring out their gold and silver and throw 
it into the streets; for it could do them no good, but would in¬ 
crease their trouble, because they had loved it more than they 
loved God, and had so often broken his laws in getting it. 

In the sixth year after Jehoiachin was taken captive, Ezekiel 
saw again, the form like the form of a man, which he had seen 
before, sitting on a throne above the wings of the cherubim. 
And Ezekiel thought that a hand was stretched out from it, 
and that the hand took hold of a lock of his hair and lifted 
him up between the earth and the sky, and carried him away 
from the river Chebar to the gate of the temple in Jerusalem. 
There the Lord spoke to him, saying, Look now toward the 
north. So Ezekiel looked, and he saw near the altar of burnt 
offering, an idol set up. And the Lord said, Dost thou see 
what the children of Israel have done, how they set up an 


432 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


idol, even in this holy place, to offend me, and make me go 
far away from my temple? 

But turn away from this, and thou shalt see still greater 
wickedness. Then the Lord brought Ezekiel near to the court 
of the temple, and when he looked, he saw a hole in the wall. 
And the Lord said to him, Dig now through the wall. When 
Ezekiel had done so, he saw a door that led into a dark cham¬ 
ber. And the Lord said, Go into this chamber and see the 
things that are done there. So Ezekiel went in, and there, on 
the walls around him, he saw pictures of unclean beasts and 
creeping things, and of all the idols that the children of Israel 
worshipped. Before these pictures stood seventy of the elders 
of Israel, each with a censer in his hand, burning incense to 
the idols; and a thick cloud of smoke went up from the incense 
through the chamber. And the Lord said to Ezekiel, Seest thou 
what the elders of Israel are doing, every man worshipping his 
idol in the dark? For they say, The Lord does not see us, he 
has gone away from the earth. 

Then the Lord said to Ezekiel, Turn away again, and thou 
shalt see yet more of their sin. And he brought him to the inner 
court of the temple, and there Ezekiel saw about twenty-five men 
with their backs turned toward the temple, and their faces toward 
the east, where the sun rose up in the sky; and they were bowing 
down to the sun and worshipping it. And the Lord said, Dost 
thou see this ? Is it a little thing for the men of Judah to do all 
the evil they are doing here ? For they have filled the whole land 
with wickedness, and now they have come back to the temple to 
sin against me and provoke me to anger. Therefore I will pun¬ 
ish them in my anger, neither will I pity them ; and though they 
shall cry out to me in their suffering I will not hear. 

After the vision was over, Ezekiel thought that he was lifted 
up again between the earth and the sky, and brought away 
from Jerusalem, back to the river Chebar. When he had 
come there he told the captives who were living by the river, 
of all the things he had seen in the vision. But they would 
not believe what he told them; for they still chose to believe 
the false prophets who said that the people in Jerusalem should 


THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL. 


433 


not be punished, and that the city should not be taken by the 
king of Babylon. 


CHAPTERS XII., XXIV., XXXIII., XXXVII. 


B. C. 594-587. 

EZEKIEL SHOWS, BY SIGNS, THAT JERUSALEM SHALL BE TAKEN. THE 
VISION OF THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES. THE TWO STICKS JOINED FOR 
ISRAEL AND JUDAH. GOD PROMISES THAT THE JEWS SHALL RETURN 
TO THEIR OWN LAND AND STAY THERE ALWAYS. 


A ND the Lord commanded Ezekiel to make ready the things 
that were in his house, and to carry some of them out of 
his door to another place, like a person who is moving. He 
was to do this in the day time. But when the evening should 
come, he was to dig an opening through the wall of his house, 
and was to go out through the opening, carrying more of his 
things upon his shoulder. At the same time he was to cover his 
face as if he were in trouble, and did not wish other persons to 
know him: 

And Ezekiel did as the Lord commanded; he made his things 
ready and carried a part of them out of the door of his house 
in the day time, and took them and left them in another place. 
And in the evening he digged through the wall and brought out 
more of them, through an opening in the wall, carrying them 
upon his shoulder; and he covered his face like a person in 
trouble who did not wish others to know him. The people who 
were captives with him, saw him doing all this. 

The next morning the Lord spoke to him, saying, Do they 
not ask thee what these things mean ? Tell them they are to 
show what will happen to king Zedekiah and all the people in 
the land of Israel. As thou hast taken the things out of thy 
house and moved them to another place, so shall they be carried 
away captive to other lands. And king Zedekiah shall go also. 
His servants shall break through the wall, and he shall flee out 
of the city in the evening, carrying a burden upon his shoulder, 
and he shall cover his face to keep the Chaldeans from knowing 
him. Yet he shall not escape, for I will give him into their 
hands and they shall take him to Babylon. But although he 
shall go into that land, and die there, he shall not see it. The 
28 



434 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Lord meant that Zedekiah would not be able to see the land 
into which he was taken, because king Nebuchadnezzar would 
put out his eyes before he should go there. 

And the Lord commanded Ezekiel, when he should eat bread 
and drink water, to tremble, like a person who was afraid that 
his enemies were coming to take it from him. Then he was to 
tell the people that so the Jews in Jerusalem, and in the land 
of Israel, would tremble and be afraid, when their enemies should 
come to fight against them. Because their enemies should come, 
the Lord said, to destroy their cities and carry away the people 
and leave the whole land lonely and desolate. 

And in the ninth year, in the tenth month and on the tenth 
day of the month, the Lord told Ezekiel to write down the day, 
so that it might be remembered; for on that day, he said, the 
king of Babylon had gone up against Jerusalem and besieged it. 

After these things some of the captives to whom Ezekiel was 
speaking, came to him and said, If we must be punished for all 
the sins we have done, and if the Lord is determined to destroy 
us for them, what can we do, and who can save us? Ezekiel 
answered them, This you can do: Repent of your sins and cease 
doing evil. For thus saith the Lord: As truly as I live, I have 
no pleasure in punishing the wicked man, or in putting him to 
death for his sin; but would rather he should turn from his 
wickedness and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; 
for why will ye die, O ye children of Israel ? 

And in the twelfth year, in the tenth month, and on the fifth 
day of the month, a man who had escaped out of Jerusalem, 
came to Ezekiel at the river Chebar, and said that the city was 
taken. Then when the captives heard this, they knew that 
Ezekiel had told them only those words that the Lord had spo¬ 
ken to him, but that the false prophets had deceived them when 
they said, that the men of Israel should not be punished for their 
sins, and that Jerusalem should not be taken by the king of 
Babylon. For now all Ezekiel’s words had come true. The 
king of Babylon had taken Jerusalem, and had broken down 
the walls of the city, and burned the houses, and the king’s 
palace, and the temple, with fire. He had taken king Zedekiah 


THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL. 


435 



THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES, 







































































































































436 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


also and put out his eyes, and carried him and the people away 
to Babylon ; and the whole land was left lonely and desolate. 

And yet, although the Lord had sent all these troubles upon 
the children of Israel, he did not mean wholly to destroy them, 
but only to punish them for a time, and until they should repent; 
then he intended to bless them and take them for his people 
again. And he commanded Ezekiel to tell them, that the day 
was coming when he would seek for them in all the lands where 
they were carried away captive, as a shepherd seeks for his sheep 
that are lost, and that he would bring them back to their own land. 

And again the Lord showed Ezekiel a vision. Ezekiel thought 
that he was carried out into a valley where the ground was cov¬ 
ered with dead men’s bones. And he walked about among the 
bones and looked on them, and saw they had no flesh on them, 
but were very dry. And the Lord spoke to him and asked him, 
saying, Can these bones be made alive again? Ezekiel an¬ 
swered, O Lord God, thou knowest. The Lord said to him. 
Speak to them and say, 0 ye dry bones, listen to the command 
of the Lord ; for he says that flesh shall come upon you, and 
breath shall come into you, and you shall live. 

So Ezekiel spoke the words that the Lord commanded. After 
he had spoken, he heard a noise among the bones, and saw a 
shaking among them; they began to move and come together, 
each bone to the one it belonged to. And as soon as they had 
come together, flesh grew upon them, and skin, until the bones 
all became bodies again. But there was no breath in them, 
they were still dead. 

Then the Lord spoke to Ezekiel and commanded him to speak 
to the winds, and say, Come ye winds and blow upon these dead 
bodies, that they may have breath, and live. And Ezekiel spoke 
to the winds, and the winds blew upon the dead bodies and 
breath came into them, and they breathed and were alive; and 
they all stood up on their feet like a very great army. 

Then the Lord explained to Ezekiel why he had shown him 
this vision, and what it meant. He told him that all the people 
of Israel complained because of their punishment and their trou¬ 
ble ; they said they were like bones that were dry and dead, and 


THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL. 


437 


that they had lost all hope of ever being happy, or of seeing their 
own land again. But the Lord said he would raise them up out 
of their troubles, as he had raised those dry bones to life, and 
that he would bring them back to their own land. And when 
he should have saved them from their troubles and put his Spirit 
in their hearts, and brought them back to their own land, then 
the children of Israel would know that it was the Lord who had 
spoken these words to them, and that he had made his words 
come true. 

And the Lord commanded Ezekiel to take two sticks and give 
each of them a name; one was to be named for the kingdom of 
Israel, and the other for the kingdom of Judah. And Ezekiel 
was to write its name upon each stick. Then he was to hold the 
two sticks close together; and while he was holding them, the 
Lord said, they would grow into one stick in his hand. 

When the people should see this and ask him what it meant, 
Ezekiel was to answer them, Thus saith the Lord, I will take 
the children of Israel away from the nations where they have 
gone captive, and will bring them back to the land of Canaan. 
And after they come there, they shall not be divided into two 
nations any more, but I will make them one nation. Neither 
shall they worship idols nor do wickedly; for I will put my 
Spirit into their hearts and make them holy, and they shall 
be my people and I will be their God. They shall live in 
the land where their fathers lived, and their children, and 
their children’s children, shall live there always. And I will 
be kind to them and will give them a king who shall rule 
over them forever. 

We have read, before this, that the prophet Jeremiah told the 
people they should stay in Babylon seventy years, and then go 
back to Jerusalem. And what Jeremiah told them came true ; 
when the seventy years were ended, the Jews did go back to 
Jerusalem and to Canaan, and lived in their own country, but 
this was not the going back that Ezekiel meant. For after they 
had gone back they sinned yet more than they had ever sinned, 
and made God more angry with them than he ever had been, 
because they crucified his Son. Therefore he sent them out 


438 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


of Canaan again, and scattered them among all nations, as 
they are scattered at this day. 

But Ezekiel tells us, in the words we have just read, that the 
Lord means to bring them back into Canaan once more, and 
that when he shall do so, they will stay there always. For 
then they will not sin any more, but will repent of their wick¬ 
edness in crucifying God’s Son, and will believe on him, and 
obey him, and take him for their Saviour. 

The time for this to happen to the Jews has not come yet, and 
we cannot tell when it may come. But we are sure that it will 
come, because God, by his holy prophet, has told us so. 


THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 


CHAPTERS I., II. 

B. C. 607-603. 


DANIEL, SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO ARE TAKEN TO BAB¬ 
YLON BY KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR. THEY REFUSE TO EAT THE 
FOOD WHICH IS SENT THEM BY THE KING. THEY COME AS SER¬ 
VANTS INTO THE KING’S PALACE. DANIEL INTERPRETS NEBUCHAD¬ 
NEZZAR’S DREAM OF THE GREAT IMAGE. 


W HILE king Nebuchadnezzar was in Jerusalem, he com¬ 
manded the chief of his officers to choose some of the 
princes of the children of Israel, that he might take them to be 
servants in his palace at Babylon. None should be chosen, the 
king said, who had any fault in them, but only such as were 
young and beautiful and quick to learn. For he wanted them 
to be taught in all the wisdom of the Chaldeans, and to learn 
also the language that the Chaldeans spoke. After they had 
been instructed in these things for three years, they were to come 
to the palace, and stay there and wait on the king. 

Among those that were chosen by the chief officer, were four 
young men, named Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 
These four were brought to Babylon, and teachers were set over 
them, that they might be taught as king Nebuchadnezzar com¬ 
manded. And the king sent them, each day, meat and wine 




THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 


439 


from his own table, intending so to feed them until they should 
come to live at the palace, and wait upon him. 

Now the Chaldeans worshipped idols, and offered up sacrifices 



DANIEL AND HIS THREE FRIENDS REFUSING THE KING’S FOOD. 


of animals, and drink offerings of wine, to them; and they ate 
of the sacrifices and drank of the wine that had been offered to 
their idols. But Daniel did not wish to eat what had been of- 











































































440 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


fered to idols, lest he might offend the Lord; and, beside, some 
of the animals that the Chaldeans ate, the Lord had commanded 
the children of Israel not to eat; they were called unclean. 
Therefore Daniel said to himself that he would not eat of the 
meat, nor drink of the wine, that the king sent him, and the three 
young men who were with him said so too. 

And Daniel spoke to tho chief officer, who had the care of 
him, about this thing, and asked his permission not to eat the 
food which the king sent. Now the Lord had made the chief 
officer love Daniel, yet he dared not do as Daniel asked him; 
he answered, saying, I am afraid it will displease the king, w T ho 
sends you your meat and your drink. For if, after a while, he 
should see your faces look paler and thinner than the faces of 
the other young men who eat food from the king’s table, he may 
be angry with me, and put me to death. 

And the chief officer gave Daniel and his friends to the care 
of the steward. Then Daniel came and asked the steward ; he 
said, Try us, I beseech thee, ten days: give us, for that time, only 
pulse (that is, vegetables) to eat, and water to drink. Afterward 
look at our faces and at the faces of the other young men, and 
if we look not as well as they, then give us whatever thou shalt 
think best to eat. 

So the steward gave them pulse for ten days, and at the end 
of that time their faces were fatter and fairer than the faces of 
all the other young men who ate food from the king’s table. 
Then he took away the meat and the wine that were sent to them, 
and gave them only pulse to eat. And God helped these four 
young men to get knowledge and wisdom, and he made Daniel 
to understand visions and dreams. 

After they had been taught for three years, the chief officer 
brought them into the palace of the king. And king Nebu¬ 
chadnezzar talked with them, and found that among all those 
who had been chosen for his servants, none were like Daniel, 
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; therefore they stayed at the 
palace and waited on the king. And in all the questions which 
the king asked them concerning the things they had learned, 
he found them ten times better than all the wise men in his 


THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 


441 


kingdom. And Daniel lived in Babylon for more than 
seventy years. 

One night king Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream that trou¬ 
bled him so that he could not sleep. Then he commanded his 
servants to call all the wise men of Babylon; and the wise men 
came and stood before him. And the king said, I have dreamed 
a dream and am troubled because of it. Then the wise men 
spoke to the king, and said, O king, live forever: tell us what 
thy dream was, and we will interpret it for thee. The king an¬ 
swered, and said to the wise men, The thing is gone from me, 
and I cannot remember it: if you will not tell me what my 
dream was, and the interpretation of it, you shall be cut to 
pieces, and your houses shall be torn down and made into heaps. 
But if you will tell me my dream and interpret it for me, you 
shall have great riches and honor. Therefore tell me my dream 
and the interpretation of it. 

The wise men answered again, and said, If the king will tell us 
his dream we will tell the interpretation of it. The king an¬ 
swered, I know that you want to deceive me and gain time, until 
some evil has happened to me, so that you need not tell me 
at all; therefore tell it to me now, and when you tell me what 
my dream was, I will know that you can tell me the interpreta¬ 
tion. The wise men answered the king, and said, There is not 
a man on the earth who can tell the king his dream ; therefore 
there is no king, or ruler, who would ask such a thing of any 
wise man. For it is a strange thing that the king asks of us 
—to tell him his dream when he himself has forgotten it; and 
none can tell him what it was, except the gods, who do not live 
on the earth. 

Then the king was very angry, and he commanded that all 
the wise men of Babylon should be destroyed. And the com¬ 
mandment went forth that they should be slain. Now Daniel 
and his three friends had not been called before the king ; but 
as they were among the wise men, the king’s servants sought for 
them that they also might be put to death. When Daniel heard 
of it, he said to the king’s captain who had come out to slay the 
wise men, Why is the command made in such haste by the 


442 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


king? Then the captain told Daniel of all that had hap¬ 
pened. And Daniel went into the palace to the king, and 
promised that if time should be given him, he would show the 
interpretation of the dream. And the king gave him the time 
that he asked for. 

And Daniel went to his house, and told his three friends 
to pray that God would show him what the king’s dream 
was, so that they might not be slain, And his three friends 
prayed to God as Daniel asked them. And in a vision of 
the night, God showed Daniel the dream and the interpreta¬ 
tion of it. Then Daniel praised God, and said, I thank thee 
and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, because thou hast 
heard our prayer, and told me the things that the king desires 
to know. Therefore Daniel went to the captain of the king’s 
soldiers, and said to him, Destroy not the wise men of Babylon, 
but bring me in before the king, and I will tell him the inter¬ 
pretation of his dream. 

Then the captain brought Daniel in haste before the king, 
and the king said to him, Art thou able to make known to me 
the dream that I have dreamed, and the interpretation of it ? 
Daniel answered, The secret which the king has asked, no wise 
man on earth can tell him, but there is a God in heaven that 
telleth secret things; in thy dream he has made known to thee 
what shall happen in the times to come. And God has told it 
to me, not because I am wiser than any one else, but that I should 
tell it to thee, and show thee that he is the true God who is wor¬ 
shipped by the captives from Judah. 

Then Daniel told king Nebuchadnezzar his dream : he said, 
Thou sawest in thy dream, O king, a great image. The form of 
it was terrible, and it shone with exceeding brightness as it stood 
before thee. Its head w T as made of fine gold, its breast and arms 
were of silver, the rest of its body w r as of brass ; its legs were of 
iron, and its feet were part of iron and part of clay. Thou saw¬ 
est it, until, as thou wast looking, there came a stone cut out of 
a mountain, that struck the image upon its feet and broke them 
to pieces. Then the image fell, and the' iron, the brass, the silver, 
the gold and the clay, were all broken up together by the stone, 


THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 


443 


into pieces as small as the dust which is left on the threshing-floor 
after the farmer has been threshing his grain; and the wind blew 
them away, no one could tell where. Afterward the stone that 
had broken the image, grew to be a great mountain and filled all 
the earth. This was the king’s dream. 

Then Daniel told the king the interpretation of it. The gold, 
the silver, the brass, the iron, and the clay, that were in the 
image, all meant different kingdoms. The head of gold meant 
Nebuchadnezzar himself, Daniel said, because God had given 
him the greatest of the kingdoms, and made him greater than 
all the other kings who were upon earth. But after he should 
die, new kingdoms would arise: the silver, the brass, the iron, 
and the clay meant these. Last of all, Daniel said, the Lord 
would set up one kingdom more, which should never be de¬ 
stroyed, but should break in pieces ail the kingdoms that 
were before it, as the stone cut out of the mountain had 
broken the image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. This stone 
meant the kingdom of Christ. 

After Daniel had told the king his dream and the interpre¬ 
tation of it, the king fell on his face before Daniel, and said to 
him, It is true that your God is a God of gods, and a King of 
kings, and can tell all secret things, because he has told thee this 
dream. Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave 
him many gifts, and appointed him ruler over the province of 
Babylon, and the chief governor over all the wise men. And 
because Daniel requested it, he made his three friends also, rulers 
in the land. But Daniel stayed at the palace of the king. 


CHAPTEKS III., IV. 

B. C. 580-563. 

SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO ARE CAST INTO THE BURNING, 
FIERY FURNACE. DANIEL INTERPRETS THE KING’S DREAM OF THE 
GREAT TREE. NEBUCHADNEZZAR, FOR HIS PRIDE, IS DRIVEN OUT 
TO LIVE WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD. 


'VTEBUCHADNEZZAR, the king, made an image of gold, 
■AAi and set it up on a plain in the province of Babylon. Then 


the king sent and called the princes, the governors, the captains, 
the judges, and all the rulers of his kingdom; and these great 



444 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


men came and were gathered together before the image that 
Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then one of the king’s servants 
called out in a loud voice to them, and said, It is commanded 
that so soon as you hear the sound of the harp, the flute, the 
trumpet, and all kinds of music, you shall fall down and wor¬ 
ship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar, the king, has set 
up. And whosoever falleth not down and worshippeth, shall 
that same hour be cast into the midst of a burning, fiery fur¬ 
nace. Then the king commanded the musicians to play, and as 
soon as the people heard the sound of the music, they all fell 
down and worshipped the golden image. 

But some of the Chaldeans came to the king, and spoke against 
the Jews, saying, O king, live forever! Thou, O king, hast made 
a law that every man who shall hear the sound of the flute, the 
harp, the trumpet, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and 
worship the golden image, and that whosoever falleth not down 
and worshippeth, shall be cast into the burning, fiery furnace. 
There are some Jews whom thou hast set over the province of 
Babylon, named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and these 
men, O King, have not obeyed thee, they serve not thy gods, nor 
worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 

Then Nebuchadnezzar, because these men had not obeyed him, 
commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and 
they brought them before the king. And Nebuchadnezzar spoke 
to them, and said, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed¬ 
nego, that ye do not serve my gods, nor worship the golden image 
that I have set up ? Now, if you be ready when you shall hear 
the sound of the harp, the flute, the trumpet, and all kinds of 
music, and fall down and worship the image I have made, no 
harm shall be done to you ; but if you worship not, you shall be 
cast, the same hour, into the midst of a burning, fiery furnace; and 
who is the God that is able to save you out of my hands ? 

Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered, and said 
to the king, We are not afraid to tell thee what we will do in 
this matter. If thou wilt cast us into the burning, fiery furnace, 
our God, whom we serve, is able to save us from death, and he 
will save us out of thy hand, O king. Yet even If he let us 


THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 


445 


burn, we tell thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor 
worship the golden image that thou hast set up. 

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury. He looked in fierce 
anger on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and said to his ser- 



SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO WILL NOT WORSHIP THE GOLDEN IMAGE. 


vants that they should heat the furnace seven times hotter than 
it was heated before. And he commanded the most mighty sol¬ 
diers in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and 
cast them into it. Then these three men were bound, in their 













446 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


coats, their hats, and their other garments, and were thrown into 
the burning, fiery furnace. And because the furnace was exceed¬ 
ing hot, and the king made them go near to it, the flame killed 
the men who cast Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in; and 
these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down, 
bound, into the midst of the fire. But soon they rose up, and 
walked in the fire; for God would not let it burn them. 

Then Nebuchadnezzar, the king, was astonished, and he said 

in haste to the rulers and 
great men who were with 
him, Did we not cast three 
men bound into the midst 
of the fire ? They answered, 
We did, O king. And he 
said, Lo, I see four men 
loose and walking in the 
midst of the fire, and they 
are not hurt. And the form 
of the fourth is like the Son 
of God. Then Nebuchad¬ 
nezzar came near to the 
mouth of the burning, fiery 
furnace, and cried out and 
said, Shadrach, Meshach, 
and Abednego, ye servants 
of the Most High God, come out and come here. Then Sha¬ 
drach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the midst of the fire. 
And the princes, the governors, and the captains, who were 
gathered together, saw these men whom the fire had not hurt, 
nor was a hair of their heads burned, neither were their coats 
changed, nor was the smell of the fire upon them. 

Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of 
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and 
saved his servants that trusted in him. Therefore I make a de¬ 
cree and a law, that every nation and people which shall speak 
evil of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be 
destroyed, and their houses shall be torn down and made into 



SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO IN 
THE FIERY FURNACE. 













THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 


447 


heaps; for there is no other God that can save like him. Then 
the king made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego greater than 
they had been before in the province of Babylon. 

Now Babylon was a very great city. The river Euphrates 
ran through the midst of it, so that part of the city was on one 
side of the river and part on the other. The walls around Bab¬ 
ylon were sixty miles long. They had in them one hundred 
gates, all made of brass. Built up above the walls were 
high towers. The palace of king Nebuchadnezzar was of 
great size, and ornamented with statues of men and animals, 
with vessels of gold and silver, and with many other costly 
and beautiful things which he had taken from the nations 
that he made to serve him. 

Near to his palace were large gardens, called The Hanging 
Gardens, because they were raised high up in the air, on the 
sides of a hill. We read (not in the Bible, but in other books 
which tell us about him), that Nebuchadnezzar made these 
gardens to please his wife. She had lived, while she was 
young, in a hilly country. When the king married her and 
brought her to Babylon, which stood on a wide, level plain, 
she longed for hills and woods, like those in the land where 
she was born. Then Nebuchadnezzar had this great hill 
made, four hundred feet high, and planted its sides with trees 
and bushes and flowers. Steps led up to its top, and water 
was drawn from the river that flowed through the city, to water 
the gardens that were planted upon it. From a distance it 
looked like a mountain covered with -woods. 

And Nebuchadnezzar lived in Babylon. He was a mighty 
king, and had princes and rulers for his servants, who, because 
they wanted to please him, told him of his greatness and praised 
everything that he did ; so that he forgot God, and thought only 
of his own riches and power. Then God was displeased, and sent 
a strange punishment upon him. But after he had been pun¬ 
ished, Nebuchadnezzar repented of his sins, and he sent to all 
the people of his kingdom, and to all the nations of the earth, 
an account of what God had done to him. 

He said, I thought it right to tell you of the wonderful things 


448 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


that God has done to me. I had gained the victory over my 
enemies, and was at rest in my palace, with nothing to trouble 
me, when I had a dream that made me afraid. Therefore I 
called all the wise men of Babylon and told them my dream. 
But they could not interpret it. At last eame Daniel before me, 
in whom is the Spirit of the holy Gods; and I told him my dream. 
I said to him, I saw a tree that stood in the midst of a wide 
plain, and the height of it was great. The tree grew and was 
strong, and it reached up to heaven, and its branches spread out 
to the ends of the earth. The leaves of it were green, and the 
fruit plentiful. The beasts of the field lay down under its 
shadow, and the birds of the air made their nests in its branches, 
and everything that lived came to it for food. 

And I saw in my dream a holy angel come down from heaven. 
He cried with a loud voice, Hew down the tree, and cut off its 
branches, shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the 
beasts get away from under it, and the birds from its branches. 
Yet leave the stump of the tree in the ground, where the dew 
shall fall upon it and wet it. Let it be with the beasts out in 
the field, until seven years are past. This dream I, Nebuchad¬ 
nezzar, have seen. Now, O Daniel, tell me the interpretation 
of it, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to 
make it known to me. But thou art able, for the Spirit of God 
is in thee. 

Then Daniel was troubled, and afraid to answer the king. 
But the king said to him, Let not the dream trouble thee, and 
do not fear to tell me the interpretation of it. Then Daniel 
said, The tree which thou sawest, which grew and was strong, 
whose height reached to heaven, under which the beasts lay 
down, and among whose branches the birds built their nests— 
that tree means thee, O king, who hast grown great and full of 
power, and whose kingdom reaches to the end of the earth. And 
as thou didst see a holy angel coming down from heaven, and 
saying, Cut down the tree and destroy it, yet leave the stump of 
its roots in the earth, and let it be wet with dew, and be with 
the wild beasts of the field, till seven years pass over it, this 
is the interpretation, O king, and this is what God has said shall 


THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 


449 


be done to thee, Thou shalt not stay in thy palace to be waited 
on by thy servants and to live among men. But they shall 
drive thee out to live with the beasts of the field; thou shalt 
eat grass like oxen, and lie upon the ground like them, and 
be wet with the dew, till thou hast learned that God rules 
over all the nations of the earth, and makes whomsoever he will 
to be king. 

And all of Daniel’s words came true. At the end of twelve 
months Nebuchadnezzar was walking in the palace of the king¬ 
dom of Babylon. And as he looked out upon that mighty city, 
its walls, its temples, its palaces, and its gardens, his heart was 
filled with pride; he forgot that it was God who had made him 
to be king, and he said, Is not this great Babylon that I have 
built, by my own power and for my own honor and majesty ? 
While the words were yet in the king’s mouth, there came a 
voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it 
is spoken, the kingdom is taken from thee. And they shall 
drive thee from men, and thou shalt live with the beasts of the 
field: they shall make thee eat grass like oxen, and seven 
years shall pass over thee, until thou knowest that God 
rules over all the nations of the earth, and makes whomso¬ 
ever he will to be king. 

In that same hour, God took from king Nebuchadnezzar his 
reason, so that he was no longer fit to rule over his kingdom, or 
to live among men. And he was driven out and did eat grass 
like oxen, and lay upon the ground, and his body was wet with 
the dew, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his 
nails like birds’ claws. 

But when the seven years were ended, king Nebuchadnezzar 
said, I looked up to heaven, and my reason came back to me, 
and I praised God and honored him who lives forever, and whose 
kingdom shall have no end. He doeth what he will, in heaven 
and on earth, and no man can hold back his hand, or ask why he 
doeth anything. And when my reason came back to me, so did 
my honor and my kingdom. For the rulers and governors 
sought for me, and I was made king again, and all my greatness 
was given me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and honor God, 


450 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the king of heaven, who doeth only what is just and true; and 
those that are proud he is able to bring down. 


CHAPTERS V., VI., IX. 

B. C. 538. 


DANIEL INTERPRETS THE WRITING ON THE WALL. BELSHAZZAR IS 
SLAIN, AND DARIUS TAKES THE KINGDOM. DANIEL IS CAST INTO THE 
DEN OF LIONS; HIS PRAYER FOR THE RETURN OF THE JEWS TO 
THEIR OWN LAND. THE ANGEL GABRIEL SPEAKS TO HIM. 


A FTER these things Nebuchadnezzar died, and Belshazzar 
reigned over the kingdom of Babylon. He made a feast 
to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine with them in his 
palace. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded his 
servants to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father, 
Nebuchadnezzar, had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem. 
Then they brought the golden vessels, and the king and his 
princes, and his wives, drank out of them. They drank wine, 
and praised their idols of gold and silver, of brass, of iron, 
of Wood, and of stone. 

And while they were feasting, and making merry, there 
came a man’s hand, and wrote words upon the wall of the 
king’s palace, in the room where the king and his lords held 
their feast. But the writing was in a language they could not 
understand. And the king saw the hand that wrote. Then his 
face was changed, for his thoughts troubled him and he was 
filled with fear, so that his knees trembled and smote one against 
another. And he cried out aloud to his servants, that they 
should bring in the wise men before him. When the wise men 
came, he said to them, Whoever shall read this writing, and tell 
the interpretation of it, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a 
chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the 
kingdom. But none of the wise men could read the writing or 
tell the interpretation. Then the king was troubled yet more, 
and his lords were astonished at what had been done. 

Now the queen, when she heard what the king had said, came 
in before him and spoke to him, saying, O king, live forever; 
let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy face be sad. There 



BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST. 


THE BOOK OF DANIEL, 


451 
























































452 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the holy Gods, 
and in the days when thy father, Nebuchadnezzar, lived, great 
wisdom was found in him, and the king, Nebuchadnezzar thy 
father, made him master over all the wise men of Babylon; 
because he had knowledge and understanding for interpreting 
dreams, and telling of secret things. Now let Daniel be called, 
and he will tell the interpretation. 

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king 
spoke to him, and said, Art thou that Daniel who was brought 
captive with the children of Israel, out of Judah? I have 
heard of thee that the Spirit of the gods is in thee, and that 
thou hast understanding and excellent wisdom. And now the 
wise men have been brought in before me, that they should read 
this writing, and make known to me the interpretation, but they 
cannot. And I have heard of thee that thou canst interpret 
and tell secret things. Now if thou canst read the writing, and 
make known the interpretation of it, thou shalt be clothed with 
scarlet and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be 
the third ruler in the kingdom. 

Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, Keep thy 
gifts for thyself, and give thy rewards to another. Yet will I 
read the writing to the king, and make known to him the in¬ 
terpretation. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebu¬ 
chadnezzar, thy father, a kingdom and glory and honor. And 
because God made him so great, all nations trembled and 
feared before him. Whom he would he slew, and whom he 
would he kept alive; whom he would he set up, and whom he 
would he put down. 

But when his heart was full of pride, so that he forgot God, 
he was made to come down from his throne, and his great¬ 
ness was taken from him. He was driven out from his pal¬ 
ace, and from living among men, and was made like the beasts 
and lived with the wild asses. They fed him with grass like 
oxen, and his body w r as wet with the dew, till he learned that 
God rules over the nations of the earth, and maketh whom¬ 
soever he will to be king. 

And thou, his son, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou 


THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 


453 


knewest all this, but hast been proud, and sinned against God ; 
and they have brought the vessels of his temple before thee, and 
thou and thy lords, and thy wives, have drunk wine in them. 
Thou hast praised the idols of silver and gold, of brass, iron, 
wood, and stone, which cannot see, nor hear, nor know any¬ 
thing ; but the true God who lets thee live, and gives thee all 
things, thou hast not praised. Therefore has he sent this hand, 
and this writing was written; and these are the words of it: 
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the inter¬ 
pretation : Thy kingdom is ended, God has taken it from thee. 
He tried thee as king, but thou hast not obeyed him. He has 
given thy kingdom to the Medes and the Persians. 

When Daniel had interpreted the dream, then Belshazzar 
commanded his servants to clothe him with scarlet, and to put 
a chain of gold about his neck, and the king made a decree 
that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. That same 
night came Cyrus with the army of the Medes and Persians into 
Babylon, and Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, was slain, 
and Darius, the Mede, took the kingdom. 

After Darius was made king, it pleased him to set over the 
people one hundred and twenty princes. Over these princes 
he set three presidents, and Daniel was the first of them. So 
Daniel was the chief one of all the presidents and princes, be¬ 
cause of the wise and good spirit that was in him. And Darius 
thought to make him ruler over the whole kingdom. Then the 
presidents and the princes hated Daniel, because he w r as greater 
than they, and they tried to find out some evil concerning him, 
that they might speak against him to the king. But they could 
find none, for he was faithful and no fault or error was to be 
found in him. Therefore these men said, We shall not be able 
to complain of this Daniel to the king, unless it be about some¬ 
thing that he does in serving his God. 

Then they gathered together and came to the king, and said, 
King Darius, live forever. All the presidents of thy kingdom, 
the governors, the princes, and the captains, want a law and a 
decree to be made, that whosoever shall ask help of any god or 
man, for thirty days, except of thee, O king, shall be cast into 


454 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the den of lions. Now, O king, make this law and this decree, 
and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed; for the law 
of the Medes and Persians changes not. Therefore king Darius 
signed the writing and the decree. 

Now, when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went 
into his house, and the windows of his chamber being opened 
toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, 
and prayed and gave thanks to his God, as he had always done. 
Then these men gathered together, and found Daniel praying 
and asking help of God. And they went to the king, and said, 
Hast thou not signed a decree, that whoever shall ask help of 
any god, or man, for thirty days, except of thee, O king, shall 
be cast into the den of lions ? The king answered, The decree 
is signed, and is made a law of the Medes and Persians, which 
changes not. Then answered they, and said, That Daniel, who 
is one of the captives of Judah, obeys thee not, O king, or the 
decree that thou hast made, but prays and asks help of his 
God three times a day. 

Then the king, when he heard these words, was displeased with 
himself for having made the decree, because he did not want to 
punish Daniel. And he set his heart on having him excused, 
and tried until the evening to save him from punishment. But 
the presidents and the princes gathered together to the king, and 
said to him, Thou knowest, O king, that the law of the Medes 
and Persians is, that no decree or law which the king has made 
can be changed. Then king Darius commanded his servants, and 
they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. But 
the king spoke to Daniel, and said to him, Thy God whom thou 
servest continually, he will deliver thee. And a great stone was 
brought and laid upon the mouth of the den. 

Then the king went home to his palace, and would eat no 
food, but passed the night fasting. Neither were the instru¬ 
ments of music played before him as at other times; and he could 
not sleep. And he arose very early in the morning and came in 
haste to the den of lions, and cried with a mournful voice unto 
Daniel, saying, O Daniel, thou servant of the living God, is thy 
God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from 


THE BOOK OF DANIEL . 


455 


the lions? Then said Daniel to the king, O king, live forever. 
My God has sent his angel, and shut the lions’ mouths that they 
have not hurt me, because I have not sinned against him; and 



also, unto thee, O king, I have done no wrong. Then was the 
king exceedingly glad for him, and he commanded that they 
should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken 




















456 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


up, and no hurt was found upon him, because he trusted in his 
God. 

And the king commanded, and they brought those men who 
had spoken against Daniel, and cast them into the den of lions 
—them, their children, and their wives—and the lions leaped 
on them, and broke all their bones in pieces, as soon as they 
came into the bottom of the den. Then king Darius wrote to 
all the people and nations of the earth, saying, I make a decree, 
that in every part of my kingdom men tremble and fear before 
the God of Daniel. For he is the living God; his kingdom is 
the one that shall not be destroyed, and his power shall never 
end. He is the God who can save from danger, who has saved 
Daniel from the mouths of the lions. So Daniel prospered in 
the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus, who was made 
king after Darius was dead. 

While Daniel was in Babylon, he read in a book the words 
which the Lord had commanded the prophet Jeremiah to write, 
saying, that after the Jews had been captive for seventy years, 
they should go back to their own land. And when those seven¬ 
ty years were nearly ended, Daniel fasted, and prayed to the 
Lord, for the people of Judah, that they might go back, and 
for the city of Jerusalem, that it might be built again. He said, 
O Lord, we have done wickedly and have disobeyed thy law, 
and would not listen to thy prophets* whom thou didst send to 
tell us of our sins. We, and our kings, and our princes, and 
all the children of Israel, have disobeyed thee. Therefore that 
punishment is come upon us which Moses said should be sent. 
And now, O Lord, who didst bring thy people up out of Egypt, 
I beseech thee be not angry against us any more; for, because 
of our sins, Jerusalem, and thy people the children of Israel, 
are made to be ashamed before all the nations that are around 
us. O Lord, forgive us, and make haste to help us; for we do 
not ask this of thee because we deserve to be forgiven, but be¬ 
cause thou art merciful. 

While Daniel was praying, the angel Gabriel flew by him 
swiftly and touched him: it was in the evening, about the time 
when the priests used to offer up a lamb for a burnt offering at 


THE BOOK OF EZRA. 


457 


the temple in Jerusalem. And the angel said, O Daniel, I am 
come to tell thee of things that shall happen. At the beginning 
of thy prayer I was commanded to come unto thee, for thou 
art greatly loved of God. Therefore understand the words 
that I shall speak. Then the angel told Daniel that the Jews 
should go back to their own land and build up Jerusalem, 
and that four hundred and eighty-three years afterward, the 
Saviour would be born. But, the Saviour, the angel said, 
would be put to death, and then, enemies would come and 
destroy Jerusalem and the temple again. 


THE BOOK OF EZRA. 


CHAPTERS I.-VI. 

B. C. 536-515. 


CYRUS, KING OF PERSIA, SENDS THE JEWS BACK TO THEIR OWN BAND. 
THEY BEGIN TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE, BUT ARE STOPPED BY THE 
SAMARITANS. THE PROPHET HAGGAI REPROVES THEM FOR THEIR 
DELAY, AND THE TEMPLE IS FINISHED IN THE REIGN OF DARIUS. 


A ND now the seventy years that the Jews were to spend in 
captivity had passed, and the time for them to go back to 
their own land had come. Therefore God made Cyrus, who 
was king in Babylon, willing to let them go. Then those words 
came true which the prophet Isaiah spoke, when he was alive, 
saying, That God would raise up a great king, named Cyrus, 
who would send the people back to build up Jerusalem and the 
temple again. It had been nearly two hundred years since 
Isaiah spoke those words. Cyrus was not born at that time; 
neither had the Jews yet been sent aw r ay from their own land. 
But God knew of all that would happen, and he told his pro¬ 
phet to foretell these things. 

And king Cyrus made a proclamation, or decree, and sent it 
through all his kingdom, saying, Thus saith Cyrus, king of 
Persia, The Lord has commanded me to build up his house in 
Jerusalem. Who is there among the captives from Judah that 
wishes to go back to his own land ? Let him go now and build 




458 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


up the house of the Lord; and let the people of my kingdom 
help those who go, by giving them silver and gold, and cattle, 
and raiment, to take with them. 

Then the chief men of the Jews, and the priests and the Le- 
vites, and all those whom the Lord made willing to go, prepared 
to start on their journey. And many persons gave them vessels 
of silver and gold, and cattle, and raiment, as the king had com¬ 
manded. And king Cyrus brought out the vessels which Neb¬ 
uchadnezzar had taken from the temple, and he counted them, 
and gave them to the prince of Judah who was going back 
with the people. The name of this prince was Zerubbabel; 
he was descended from king David. The number of all the 
vessels of gold and silver that Cyrus gave to him, w T as five 
thousand and four hundred. 

So Zerubbabel took the vessels and carried them to Jerusalem. 
And there went with him forty-two thousand three hundred and 
sixty persons of the children of Israel, beside their servants, who 
were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven more. They 
had with them seven hundred and thirty-six horses, two hun¬ 
dred and forty-five mules, four hundred and thirty-five camels, 
and six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses. When 
they came to Jerusalem, they found it in ruins, as the army 
of Nebuchadnezzar had left it so many years before. The walls 
of the city, the houses, and the temple, had been broken down 
and burned. 

And the people built again the altar of the Lord, which 
stood in the court of the temple. They made haste to build 
it that they might worship God, and ask for his help, because 
they were afraid of the heathen nations around them. As soon 
as the altar was built they offered up burnt offerings on it every 
day, a lamb in the morning, and a lamb in the evening, as 
the children of Israel used to do, before they were carried 
away to Babylon. 

Then they made ready to build the temple, and hired men of 
Tyre, as Solomon had done, to cut down cedar trees on mount 
Lebanon, and make rafts of them and float them, by the sea, 
near to Jerusalem. They gave these men meat and drink, and 


THE BOOK OF EZRA 


459 


oil, while they worked for them; and they paid money to car¬ 
penters and masons who began to build the house. When the 
first stones of it were laid, the priests and Levites played on 
trumpets and cymbals, and sang songs of praise to the Lord. 
And the people were glad and shouted with a great shout, 



THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE BEGUN. 


because the building of the temple was begun. But many of 
the old men who remembered the beautiful temple which stood 
there before, wept with a loud voice. So that the sounds of 
shouting and the sounds of weeping went up together, and 
were heard afar off. 

We have read that after the king of Assyria carried away the 
ten tribes of Israel, as captives, he sent people from his own land 
to live in the cities which they had left. These people, who 
were called Samaritans, had been living there ever since that 
time. They worshipped idols, though they pretended to serve 
God. But now, when they heard that the people of Judah had 








460 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


come back to their own land, and were building the temple, they 
came to Zerubbabel and the rulers of the Jews, and said to 
them, Let us help you, for we are the servants of God as well 
as you, and have offered up sacrifices to him ever since the king 
of Assyria sent us to live in the land of Israel. 

Zerubbabel and Jeshua the high priest, and the chief men of 
Israel, answered the Samaritans, and said, You have nothing to 
do with the building of the Lord’s house. We will build it our¬ 
selves, as Cyrus, king of Persia, has commanded us. At this 
answer the Samaritans were angry, and did all they could to stop 
the Jews, and hired men to speak to the king’s officers against 
them. They did this as long as Cyrus lived. 

After Cyrus died Artaxerxes was made king, and they wrote 
a letter to him, saying, We want thee to know, O king, that the 
Jews who came from Babylon are now at Jerusalem, which is a 
wicked city, and they are building it up again and setting up its 
walls. And if this city be built and the walls set up, they will 
not pay thee tribute as thy servants ought to do, but will rebel 
against thee. Now, because we do not want the king to be dis¬ 
obeyed by them, we send him word, so that he may inquire and 
find out whether the city of Jerusalem was not always a rebel¬ 
lious city, which gave trouble to the kings that reigned in the 
old time; for on this account Jerusalem was destroyed. 

And the king did as the Samaritans asked him. Afterward 
he sent an answer to them, saying, The letter which you wrote 
me has been read before me, and I have inquired, and do find 
that Jerusalem was a rebellious city which gave trouble to the 
kings of old time. Therefore I tell you to go and command the 
men of Judah that they cease, and that the city be not built un¬ 
til permission shall be given them. Then the Samaritans went 
in haste to Jerusalem, and made the people cease building. So 
the work of building the temple was stopped as long as Artax¬ 
erxes was king. 

After this Artaxerxes died, and Darius was made king. But 
now, although the men of Judah knew there was another king 
in Babylon, they did not send and ask permission of him to go 
on building the temple. For since the Samaritans had stopped 


THE BOOK OF EZRA. 


461 


them in building it, they had been building houses for them¬ 
selves, and had become more interested in this than in finishing 
the house of the Lord; so they put off the building of the tem¬ 
ple. Therefore the Lord was displeased with them, and sent 
Haggai, the prophet, who came and said, Thus saith the Lord, 
You say, It is not yet time for the Lord’s house to be built. But 
is it time for you to be living in beautiful houses of your own, 
while my house lies in ruins? It is because you have left it 
unbuilt, and have made haste, every man, to build his own house, 
that I have not blessed you, and that you have not prospered 
and been happy. Now, therefore, go up to the mountains and 
cut wood, and build the house, and I will be pleased with it. 

Then the people obeyed the command of the Lord, and began 
to build the house. But when the Samaritans saw it, they came 
again to Zerubbabel, and to Jeshua the high priest, and said to 
them, Who has commanded you to go on building the temple? 
Zerubbabel and Jeshua answered them, King Cyrus commanded 
us to come back to our own land, and build this house. And 
he gave us the vessels of gold and silver which Nebuchadnezzar 
had taken out of the temple, and said to us, Go, carry them to 
Jerusalem, and let the temple be built there. 

Then the Samaritans wrote a letter to king Darius, at Babylon, 
and told him what the people of Judah said. And they asked 
the king to inquire and see whether it was true that Cyrus had 
commanded them to build the temple. AVhen Darius read the 
letter, he told his servants to search in the books where all the 
decrees were written down which the different kings of Bab¬ 
ylon had made. And a book was found with these words 
written in it: In the first year that Cyrus was king, he made 
a decree, saying, Let the house of the Lord, where the Jews 
used to offer up sacrifices, be built again at Jerusalem ; let the 
foundations of it be strongly laid, and let the money that it 
shall cost be given out of the king’s treasury. And let the 
gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the 
temple, be taken back to Jerusalem and put into the temple 
that shall be built there. 

As soon as king Darius found this decree which Cyrus had 


462 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


made so many years before, he sent word to the Samaritans to 
let the men of Judah build the house of the Lord, and not to 
disturb them. And Darius said, I make a decree that some of 
the king’s tribute which the Samaritans should pay to the king, 
they shall pay to the Jews instead, so that the Jews may go on 
building the temple: and that young bullocks, and rams and 
lambs, be given them for burnt offerings; and wheat, and salt, 
and wine, and oil, whenever the priests may ask for them. Let 
these things be given them day by day, without fail, so that 
they may offer sacrifices unto God and pray for the king and 
his sons. King Darius said also, Whoever shall alter this law 
and decree, that I have made, shall have the timber pulled out 
of his house, and a gallows shall be built of it, and he shall 
be hanged thereon. And his house shall be torn down and 
made into heaps. 

When the Samaritans and their chief men heard this decree, 
they feared to disobey the king. Therefore they ceased troubling 
the Jews, and gave them young bullocks, and rams and lambs, 
for burnt offerings, and also wheat, and salt, and wine, and oil, as 
the king commanded. And the men of Judah went on building 
the house until it was finished. Then they dedicated it to the 
Lord and offered up sacrifices to him, a hundred bullocks, two 
hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve goats. And they 
sent the priests and Levites to the temple to attend to the wor¬ 
ship of God there. And in the first month the people kept the 
feast of the passover, for seven days, with joy ; because the Lord 
had made them glad, and had caused the king of Persia to be 
kind to them, and to help them in finishing the temple. 


CHAPTERS VII.-X. 

B. C.457-456. 

EZRA, AND THE JEWS WHO ARE WITH HIM, GO UP TO JERUSALEM. HE 
IS TOLD THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE THERE HAVE TAKEN HEATHEN 
WIVES. HE COMMANDS THOSE WHO HAVE SINNED IN THIS THING TO 
PUT THEIR WIVES AWAY. 


A FTER these things, and while Artaxerxes was king of Per¬ 
sia, there lived in Babylon a Jew, named Ezra. He was 
a priest and teacher of the laws which God had given to Moses, 



THE BOOK OF EZRA. 


463 


and was a learned and holy man. Now Ezra loved the Jews, 
and was very anxious they should obey God and have his bless¬ 
ing. Therefore he asked permission of Artaxerxes, the king, to 
go to Jerusalem that he might teach God’s laws more perfect¬ 
ly to the Jews who were there, and see also that they obeyed 
them. 

And Artaxerxes gave Ezra permission to go. He not only 
did this, but he and his princes gave him presents of gold and 
silver to take with him, as offerings to God. And the king 
gave Ezra a letter which said, I make a law and a decree, that 
all the people of Israel who are still in Persia, and who want 
to go up to Jerusalem, may go with Ezra, because he is sent 
to inquire and see whether the law of his God is obeyed there ; 
and to carry up the silver and gold which the king, and his 
princes, and the people of Babylon, shall give him as an offer¬ 
ing to the God of Israel. 

And thou, Ezra, shalt take the money that is given thee, and 
go up, and buy with it bullocks, rams, and lambs, as sacrifices, 
and shalt offer these on the altar, at the house of your God which 
is in Jerusalem. The vessels, also, which are given thee to be 
used at the temple, do thou carry with thee. And whatever 
more thou mayest need for the temple of thy God, shall be taken 
out of the king’s treasure-house. And I, Artaxerxes, the king, 
do command all the treasurers who have the care of my money 
in the provinces where Ezra is going, to give him, whenever he 
shall ask for it, as much as a hundred talents of silver, a hun¬ 
dred measures of wheat, a hundred portions of wine, and of 
oil, and salt as much as he shall want, without waiting to meas¬ 
ure it. And whatever God shall command to be done for his 
temple, let it be done diligently, so that he may not be angry 
and send punishment upon my kingdom. 

And do thou, Ezra, choose men for judges in the land of 
Judah, that they may judge the people who have learned the 
law of thy God ; and let those who have not learned it, be taught 
it. And whoever will not obey the law of thy God, and the 
command of the king, let him be punished with the punishment 
he deserves, whether it be by putting him to death, or by send- 


464 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


ing him away to some other land, or by taking away his riches 
from him, or by shutting him up in prison. 

After the king had given this letter to Ezra, Ezra thanked 
God for putting into the king’s heart such kind feelings toward 
him, and for making the king willing to let him go up to Jeru¬ 
salem that he might teach God’s laws to the people. Then Ezra 
called some of the chief men of the Jews who were yet in Bab¬ 
ylon, and some of the priests and Levites, and gathered them 
together by the river of Ahava. There they set up their tents 
and stayed three days. And Ezra told them to fast, and pray 
to the Lord, so that the Lord might show 7 them the right w r ay 
for them to go, and might take care of them, and their little 
children, and of the treasures they w ould carry with them, w hile 
they were on their journey. For Ezra w T as ashamed to ask the 
king to send soldiers with them, to guard them by the w 7 ay; be¬ 
cause he had told the king that the Lord himself would guard 
all those who obeyed him, but would punish those who sinned 
against him. So Ezra and all the people who w r ere w ith him, fast¬ 
ed and prayed to God, and God heard their prayers. 

Then Ezra called to him twelve of the priests, and he weighed 
out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, which had been 
given by the king and the princes and the people, as offerings to 
the temple. He found there were six hundred and fifty talents 
of silver, and of silver vessels a hundred talents, and of gold a 
hundred talents; also twenty basins of gold, and two vessels of 
fine copper as precious as gold. And Ezra said to the priests, 
This silver and gold is an offering to the Lord. Be careful of 
it and watch over it to keep it safe, until you shall bring it to 
Jerusalem, and there w T eigh it out again and give it to the priests 
and Levites at the temple. 

Then the priests took the silver, the gold, and the vessels, to 
bring them to the temple. And Ezra and all the people who 
were with him, started from the river of Ahava on the twelfth 
day of the first month. They had to go through a wild, desert 
country, and enemies were waiting to rob them as they passed 
by. But the Lord watched over them and would not allow 
their enemies to harm them. So they went on their journey, 


THE BOOK OF EZRA. 


465 



and in about four months, safely reached Jerusalem. After 
coming into the city they rested for three days. Then they 
went up to the temple, and there the silver, the gold, and the 
vessels, which they had brought, were weighed again, to see that 
none had been lost; and afterward, were given to the priests and 
Levites at the temple. 

And now all the Jews who had come from Babylon with Ezra, 
and whom the Lord had saved from their enemies by the way, 


offered up sacrifices to God, twelve bullocks, ninety-six rams, 
seventy-seven lambs, and twelve goats. And Ezra gave the 
letters which the king had written, to the governors who ruled 
over the provinces in that part of the kingdom; and the gov¬ 
ernors obeyed the words of the king and gave to Ezra and the 
people such things as the king commanded. 

After this, some of the chief men among the Jews, came to 
Ezra, and told him, that the people of Jerusalem, and also the 
priests and the Levites, had disobeyed the Lord ; for they had 
30 


EZRA AND THE PEOPLE RETURNING TO JERUSALEM. 










466 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


made friends with the heathen nations around them, and taken 
heathen women for their wives. And the princes and rulers, the 
men said, had been the principal ones in committing this sin. 
When Ezra heard their words, he was filled with sorrow; he 
rent his clothes and plucked off the hair of his head, and sat 
down in great distress. Then all those persons who served God, 
and who were afraid lest he might punish the people for their 
wickedness, came to Ezra. But Ezra sat still in his grief until 
the time when the evening sacrifice of a lamb was being offered 
up at the temple. 

Then he kneeled down and spread out his hands, and prayed, 
saying, O my God, I am ashamed to lift up my face to thee; be¬ 
cause the sins of the children of Israel are so many and so great, 
that they are like a mountain reaching up to the skies. All our 
lives we have been sinning against thee, and because of our sins 
thou hast let the heathen nations gain the victory over us, and 
they have killed our people with the sword, and made us their 
captives, as we are at this day. 

But thou, our God, hadst pity upon us, and madest the kings 
of Persia kind to us, so that they allowed us to come back to our 
own land, and to build up the temple again. Yet after all this, 
we have disobeyed thy commandments, which said, You shall 
not make friends with the wicked nations of Canaan, nor take 
wives from among them for ever. O Lord, thou art good to us 
because thou hast not destroyed us for this, but dost allow us 
still to live. And now we are come before thee with our sins 
upon us; for we have no excuse to make. 

When Ezra had prayed and confessed the wickedness of the 
people, there came to him great numbers of men and women 
and children, who were weeping on account of the sins that had 
been done. Then one of the men of Israel, whose name was 
Shecaniah, spoke to Ezra and said, We have sinned against 
God and taken wives from among the heathen nations. Yet, 
now, that he may forgive us, let us promise him to put away our 
wives from us, as thou hast told us we should. Rise up, Ezra, 
for thou hast power to make us obey thee; and we also will 
help thee; fear not then, but do it. 


THE BOOK OF EZRA . 


467 


Then Ezra rose up and made the priests, the Levites, and all 
the people, promise to do as Shecaniah said. And word was 
sent through all the land of Judah, that the people should come 
to Jerusalem, and that whoever would not come within three 
days, should have his money, his goods, his cattle, and all that 
he had, taken from him; and should not any longer be counted 
as one of the children of Israel. So the people came within 
three days. And they were gathered together in the street near 
to the temple, afraid and trembling on account of their sin; at 
the same time a great rain was falling upon them. 

Then Ezra stood up and spoke to them, saying, You have 
disobeyed God and taken heathen wives, and so have brought 
still greater guilt upon the children of Israel. Now, therefore, 
confess your guilt to God, and do w T hat will please him. Be no 
longer friends with those wicked nations, and put away your 
heathen wives from you. Then all the people answered with a 
loud voice, saying, As thou hast commanded, so we will do. 
Yet, they said, we cannot stand without in the rain; neither can 
we all of as put aw T ay our wives in one day, or in two days, for 
a great many of us have sinned in this thing. Let our rulers, 
therefore, meet together and let all those who have taken hea¬ 
then wives come before them, that the rulers may judge them 
and command each one what he shall do, so that the anger of 
our Lord may be turned away from us. 

And Ezra did as the people said. For he and some of the 
chief of the elders went on the first day of the tentli month, and 
sat down at a place where the men of Israel could come to them. 
And all who had taken heathen wives came and confessed their 
sin and promised to put them away. So many persons had done 
this, that it took Ezra and the elders who were with him, three 
months to question them all and hear what they had to say, and 
to tell each one what it would be right for him to do. 


468 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 


CHAPTERS I.-IV. 

B. C. 521-510. 

KING AHASUERUS MAKES A GREAT FEAST TO HIS SERVANTS IN HIS PAL¬ 
ACE. VASHTI, THE QUEEN, REFUSES TO OBEY HIM. ESTHER IS MADE 
QUEEN. HAMAN, BECAUSE MORDECAI WILL NOT BOW TO HIM, TRIES 
TO DESTROY ALL THE JEWS IN THE KINGDOM. 

B UT the Jews had not all come back to Jerusalem with Zerub- 
babel and Ezra: many of them still lived in the land of 
Persia. The name of the king who reigned over Persia at this 
time was Ahasuerus. In the third year of his reign he made a 
great feast for his servants in the court, or garden, of his palace, 
that was in the city of Shushan, where the kings of Persia lived 
during the winter. Around the court were hung curtains of 
white and green and blue, which were fastened by cords and 
silver rings, to pillars of marble. The beds in the palace were 
made of gold and silver, and the pavement was of red and blue, 
and white and black marble. The persons at the feast drank out 
of vessels of gold, and the king’s wine was given in abundance, so 
that every man might drink as much as he wanted. 

Vashti, the queen, also made a feast for the women in the 
palace of king Ahasuerus. And on the seventh day of the king’s 
feast, after he had drunk wine and was merry, he sent to bring 
Vashti before him, with the crown upon her head, that the princes 
and people might see her beauty. Now in Persia the women 
lived in a separate part of the house, by themselves, and never 
came out before men unless they wore veils. And when king 
Ahasuerus sent for Vashti, the queen, to come before all the 
princes and people, that they might see her face unveiled, she 
refused to obey the king’s commandment. 

Therefore the king was angry, and said to his wise men, 
What shall we do to queen Vashti, and how shall she be pun¬ 
ished, because she has not obeyed the commandment of the king? 
One of the wise men answered, Vashti has done wrong, not only 
to the king, but also to all the princes and people of thy king¬ 
dom. For all the women of Persia will no more obey their hus- 



THE BOOK OF ESTHER . 


469 


bands when they hear that king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti, 
the queen, to come in before him and she came not. There¬ 
fore let the king make a decree, and let it be written among 
the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed, 
that Vashti shall come no more before the king; and let the 
king choose another woman for queen who is better than she. 
Then, when this decree shall be known throughout the king¬ 
dom, all the wives, both of rich men and of poor men, will 
obey their husbands. 

And these words pleased the king and his princes, and the 
king did as the wise man had told him. For he sent letters 
through all the different provinces of his kingdom, commanding 
that every man should be ruler in his own house, and that this 
law should be made known to all the people. Then the king’s 
servants came to him, saying, Let the king send officers to all 
the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all 
the beautiful young women of Persia into the palace at Shushan ; 
and let the one who pleaseth the king best be queen instead of 
Vashti. And the king did as his servants said. 

Now there was among the servants at the palace a Jew, 
named Mordecai, who had a cousin named Esther. She was 
a Jewess. Her father and mother were dead, but when they 
died Mordecai took Esther to his house, and since that time 
had brought her up as his own daughter. And the maid 
vras fair and beautiful. 

And it happened, when the king’s commandment was made 
known through the land, and many young maidens were 
gathered together at Shushan, the palace, that Esther was 
brought there among them, and given to the care of the king’s 
officer who had the charge of the women. And the officer was 
pleased with Esther, and gave her a present, and also seven 
young maidens to wait on her; and he put her and her maidens 
into the best part of the house of the women. But Esther did 
not let it be known that she was a Jewess, for Mordecai had 
advised her not to tell it. 

When king Ahasuerus saw Esther, he loved her more than 
all the other maidens who were brought before him, so that he 


470 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead 
ofVashti. Then the king made a great feast that was called 
Esther’s feast, and he gave gifts to his servants for her sake. 
But Esther was still careful to do all that Mordecai told her, 
for she obeyed him now, although she was made queen, as 
willingly as when she lived in his house and was brought up 
as his own daughter. 

In those days, two of the king’s officers, because they were 
angry with the king, wanted to lay hands on him and kill him. 



CROWNING OF ESTHER. 


But Mordecai, who was a watchman at the king’s gate, heard 
what they said, and told Esther, and Esther told the king. When 
the officers were examined their guilt was found out, and 
they were both hanged on a gallows. And what Mordecai 
had done to save the king’s life, was written down in a book, 
where an account was kept of all the principal things that 
happened in the kingdom. 

Now there was at the palace a servant named Haman. After 
these things, king Ahasuerus made Haman a great man, and 
set him above all the princes who were at the palace with him. 
And all the king’s servants who watched by the king’s gate, 
bowed down and did reverence before Haman, for so the king 
commanded them to do. But Mordecai would not bow down 












THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 


471 


before him. Then the king’s servants said to Mordecai, Why 
dost thou not obey the king’s commandment ? And after they 



ALL THE KING’S SERVANTS, EXCEPT MORDECAI, BOW DOWN BEFORE HAMAN. 


had spoken to him day by day, and he would not listen to 
them, they told Haman of it. 

When Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him 
reverence, he was very angry and determined to punish him. 
But he was not satisfied to punish Mordecai alone, he thought 
















472 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


he would punish, and destroy, all the Jews that were in Persia; 
for the king’s servants had told him that Mordecai was a Jew. 
Bo Haman spoke to king Ahasuerus against the Jews. He said, 
There are some of them living in all the provinces of thy king¬ 
dom, and they have laws of their own which are different from 
the laws of thy people, neither do they obey the king’s laws. 
Therefore it is not well for the king to let them live. And if 
the king will make a decree that they shall be destroyed, I will 
pay ten thousand talents of silver into the king’s treasury. 

And king Ahasuerus listened to what Haman said, and took 
his ring from his finger and gave it to Haman. Now the ring 
was what the king used when he made a law, or decree; he 
sealed the writing with his ring instead of signing it with his 
name, as we do now, and that was what made it one of the 
laws of the Medes and Persians which could not be changed. 
When he gave Haman his ring, he meant that Haman should 
make such a decree as he chose, against the Jews, and seal it with 
his ring; for then it would be the same as if the king himself 
had made it. The king told Haman also that he need not pay 
the ten thousand talents of silver into his treasury, but he might 
do with the Jews as he pleased. 

Then Haman called the king’s scribes, or writers, together, 
and they wrote for him a decree that, on the thirteenth day of 
the twelfth month, the people of Persia should kill and destroy 
all the Jews in the kingdom, both young and old, little children 
and women. And whoever should kill them, had permission 
to take their houses, their lands, and their money, and to keep 
these things for his own. And Haman sealed the decree with 
the king’s ring, and copies of it were sent by messengers to 
the governors and rulers of all the provinces, so that it might 
be made known to all the people of Persia. And the mes¬ 
sengers went out in haste, according to the king’s command¬ 
ment. After they had gone, the king and Haman sat down 
to drink wine together. 

When Mordecai heard of the decree that Haman had made, 
he was filled with sorrow ; he rent his clothes, and put on sack¬ 
cloth, and went out into the streets of the city, and cried with a 


THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 


473 


load and bitter cry. He came even before the king’s gate, though 
lie might not pass through there, because it was forbidden that 
any one should pass through the king’s gate who was clothed in 
sackcloth. And in every province where the messengers brought 
the decree, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fast¬ 
ing and weeping and wailing; and many lay down in sackcloth 
and ashes, because of their grief. 

Now Queen Esther had not heard of the decree, but her maids 
came and told her that Mordecai was clothed in sackcloth, and 
that he cried in the streets of the city. Then Esther was very 
sorry, and she sent new garments to him, that he might take off 
the sackcloth and put the new garments on. But he would not. 
Therefore Esther called one of the king’s officers who waited on 
her, and sent him to Mordecai to ask why he was troubled. So 
the officer went to the street before the king’s gate, where Mor¬ 
decai was, and asked him. Then Mordecai told the officer of all 
that had happened, and of the money that Haman had promised 
to pay into the king’s treasury, if he might be allowed to destroy 
the Jews. Mordecai gave the officer also, a copy of Haman’s 
decree, to show Esther; and he asked the officer to tell the queen 
that she should go into the palace to the king, and pray and be¬ 
seech him to save the Jews. 

And the officer came and told Esther w r hat Mordecai said. 
Then Esther sent word to Mordecai, saying, All the king’s ser¬ 
vants, and all the people of Persia know, that whosoever shall go 
in before the king without being called, whether it be man or 
woman, must be put to death unless the king shall hold out 
the golden sceptre. But I have not been called to come unto 
the king these thirty days; how then can I go and speak 
with him? 

And the officer went and told Mordecai. But Mordecai sent 
again to Esther, and said to her, Do not think, because thou art 
queen, that our enemies will spare thee when they kill all the 
Jews. For if thou wilt not try to save thy people at this time, 
some one else shall save them, but thou and thy relations shall 
be destroyed. And who can tell whether thou hast not been 
made queen on purpose for this time, so that thou mightest 


474 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


save them? Then Esther sent word to Mordecai, saying, Go and 
gather together all the Jews that are in the city, and let them fast 
for me, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day; 
I also, and my maidens, will fast, and then I will go in and speak 
with the king, though he has not called for me. And if I be 
put to death, I am willing to die. So Mordecai went and called 
all the Jews together, and they did as Esther commanded. 


CHAPTERS V.-IX. 


B. C. 510-509. 

ESTHER COMES IN BEFORE THE KING, WHO RECEIVES HER KINDLY- 
SHE INVITES THE KING AND HAMAN TO HER BANQUET. HAMAN IS 
HANGED UPON THE GALLOWS THAT HE MADE FOR MORDECAI. THE 
JEWS DESTROY THEIR ENEMIES. 

O N the third day Esther dressed herself in her royal robes 
and went into the inner part of the king’s palace, and stood 
wdiere the king, as he sat on his throne, could see her. And it 
was so, when he saw her, that God made him feel kindly toward 
her, and he held out his golden sceptre to Esther. So she came 
near to him, and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the 
king to her, What is thy desire, queen Esther, and what is thy 
request ? It shall be given thee, even to the half of my king¬ 
dom. Esther answered, If the king be willing, I want the king 
and Haman to come to-day to a banquet that I have made 
ready for him. Then the king spoke to his servants, saying, 
Tell Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther has 
said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther 
made ready. 

Now the king knew that Esther had invited him because she 
•wanted to ask some favor of him, and as they sat at the banquet, 
he said to her again, What is thy desire ? It shall be given thee, 
even to the half of my kingdom. Esther answered, My desire 
is, if the king be willing, that the king and Haman come to 
another banquet which I shall make ready for them to-morrow, 
and then I will tell the king what it is I would ask of him. So 



THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 


475 


the king and Haman went from the queen’s house that day. 
And Hainan’s heart was filled with pride because he had been 
to the queen’s banquet, and was invited to her house again on 
the morrow. But as he went out, and passed Mordecai at the 
king’s gate, and saw that he did not bow to him, nor do him 
reverence, he was filled with anger, yet he said nothing. 

When he came to his home, he sent and called for his friends 
and for his wife. And Haman boasted to them of his riches 



ESTHER TOUCHES THE GOLDEN SCEPTRE. 


and greatness, and told them how the king had set him above 
all the princes, and above all the king’s other servants. He 
said also, Yes, and Esther the queen allowed no man to come in 
with the king to the banquet that she had made ready, except¬ 
ing myself. And to-morrow I am invited to come again with 
the king to her house. Yet all these things cannot make me 
happy while I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting in the king’s 
gate. Then his wife, and all his friends, said to him, Let a 
gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and to-morrow ask the 
king that Mordecai may be hanged on it; then, after that, 







476 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


go thou in merrily to the queen’s banquet. And Haman was 
pleased with what they said to him, and he went out and com¬ 
manded the gallows to be made. 

That night the king could not sleep. And he told his ser¬ 
vants to bring him the book, in which was written down an 
account of the principal things that had happened in his king¬ 
dom. And the book was brought and read before him, and 
there it was found written, that Mordecai had, a long while 
before, saved the king’s life by telling of two of the king’s 
officers who had intended to kill him. 

Then king Ahasuerus said to his servants, What reward has 
been given Mordecai, or what honor has been done to him, be¬ 
cause he did this? They answered, There has been nothing 
done for him. While the king was speaking to his servants, 
some one came into the court of the palace. And the king said, 
Who is it in the court? Now Haman had just come there that 
he might speak with the king, and ask his permission to have 
Mordecai hanged on the gallows which was made ready for him. 
And the king’s servants answered, It is Haman who stands in 
the court. The king said, Let him come in. 

So Haman came in, and the king said to him, What shall 
be done for the man whom the king wants greatly to honor ? 
Then Haman said to himself, The king means me: I am the 
one whom he wants greatly to honor. Therefore he answered 
the king, saying, Let the royal robes that the king wears, and 
the horse that he rides, and the crown that is set on his head, 
be brought to the man whom the king wants greatly to honor. 
And let him wear the king’s robes, and his crown, and let him 
ride upon the king’s horse; and let one of the king’s most noble 
princes lead the horse through the streets of the city, and cry 
out to all the people, Thus shall it be done to the man whom 
the king delighteth to honor! 

Then the king said to Haman, Make haste and take the robes 
and the horse, and the crown, and do to Mordecai, the Jew, as 
thou hast said; leave nothing that thou hast spoken undone. 
Then Haman, because he dared not disobey the king, took the 
king’s robes, and his horse, and his crown, and brought them to 


THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 


477 


Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the streets of the 
city, and cried out before him to all the people, Thus shall it be 
done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor. After all 
this, Mordecai came and sat down again, humbly, in his place 
at the king’s gate. But Haman made haste to his home, 



HAMAN LEADS MORDECAI THROUGH THE CITY. 

full of shame, and with his face covered, so that no one 
might know him. And he told his wife and all his friends 
what had happened to him. While he was yet talking with 
them, the king’s messenger came to bring him to the banquet 
that Esther had made ready. 

So the king and Haman came to the banquet of Esther, the 
queen. And the king said, again, to Esther, What is thy peti¬ 
tion, queen Esther? and what is thy request? for it shall be 
given thee, even to the half of my kingdom. Esther answered, 
If the king be pleased with me, this is my request, that the 
king will save my life, and the lives of all the Jews. For 
















478 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


evil things have been spoken against us, which are not true, 
and I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, to be 
slain, and to perish. King Ahasuerus said, Who is the man 
that has dared to do these things ? Esther answered, Our 
enemy is this wicked Haman. 

Then Hainan was afraid before the king and the queen. And 
the king arose from the banquet in great anger, and went out into 
the palace garden. When he came again into the banqueting- 
room, Haman had fallen down before the queen to beg for his 
life. But one of the king’s officers said to the king, Behold the 
gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made ready for Mor- 



THE KING CONDEMNS HAMAN. 


decai, who saved the king’s life, is standing by the house of Ha¬ 
man. And the king said, Hang him upon it. So they hanged 
Haman on the gallows that he had made ready for Mordecai; 
and the king’s anger went from him. 

On the same day, king Ahasuerus gave to Esther the house 


















THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 


479 


in which Haman had lived. And Mordecai was called in be¬ 
fore the king, for Esther told him that Mordecai was her rela¬ 
tion, and how kind he had been to her. And the king took off 
his ring, which he had before given to Haman, and gave it to 
Mordecai. And Esther made Mordecai ruler over the house 
that had belonged to Haman. 

But Esther was still troubled, because the decree which Ha¬ 
man had written and sealed with the king’s ring, had been sent 
out to all the provinces, telling the governors, the rulers, and 
the people of Persia, that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth 
month, they should kill and destroy the Jews in every city, and 
take away whatever belonged to them. Therefore Esther came 
again to the king, though he had not called for her, and she fell 
down at his feet and wept there. Then the king held out the 
golden sceptre toward her. So she arose and stood before him, 
and begged that the decree of Haman might be changed, for, she 
said, How can I bear to see my people perish? 

Now the king himself, could not change the decree which he 
had allowed Haman to make, because, as we have read, no law, 
or decree, of the Medes and Persians might ever be changed. 
But king Ahasuerus told Esther and Mordecai that they might 
make another decree concerning the Jews, such an one as should 
please them, and might seal it with the king’s ring. Then Mor¬ 
decai called the king’s scribes together, and commanded them to 
write another decree, saying, That the Jews had permission, on 
the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, to gather themselves 
together in every city, and to slay and destroy all who should 
try to harm them. 

And Mordecai sent copies of this decree to the different 
provinces of the kingdom, by messengers on horseback, and by 
riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries. And the 
messengers went out in haste, according to the king’s command¬ 
ment, for the decree was made at Shushan the palace. And 
Mordecai, after he had done talking with the king, came out 
from the palace clothed in royal garments, such as the king 
himself wore, of blue and white, and with a crown of gold 
upon his head. And all the people of Shushan were glad. 



days they rested from fighting against their enemies. So God 
saved Esther and her people from those who had hoped to de¬ 
stroy them. Then Esther and Mordecai sent letters to all the 
Jews, telling them to keep the fourteenth and fifteenth days of 
the twelfth month, every year, as a time of feasting and glad¬ 
ness, when they should rejoice together, and give presents to one 
another and gifts to the poor. Because at that time they had 


480 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


and everywhere the Jews were filled with joy, and they feasted 
and were happy. 

And on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month the Jews took 
their swords, and gathered themselves together in every city, to 
fight for their lives; and they gained the victory over all who 
came out against them. But on the fourteenth and fifteenth 









THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 


481 


been saved from their enemies, and their sorrow and mourning 
had been turned into joy. 


THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 

B. C. 440-434. 

NEHEMIAH IS SENT TO BUILD UP THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM. THE PEO¬ 
PLE BEGIN TO BUILD AND ARE OPPOSED BY THEIR ENEMIES. THE 
POOR JEWS COMPLAIN AGAINST THE RICH. THE WALL IS FINISHED 
AND DEDICATED. EZRA TEACHES THE PEOPLE. 

I T had now been ninety years since Zerubbabel, and those who 
were with him, went up to Jerusalem. Artaxerxes was king 
over Persia, and Nehemiah, a Jew, was his cup-bearer, who 
carried his wine-cup to him when he wanted to drink. While 
Nehemiah was in the palace at Shushan, some men came there 
from the land of Judah ; and Nehemiah asked them about the 
Jews in that land, and about Jerusalem. The men told him 
that the Jews were in great affliction; that the walls of Jeru¬ 
salem were still in ruins, and that the gates of the city had 
never been set up. 

When Nehemiah heard this, he wept. And he ,fasted and 
prayed for the Jews: he prayed also that God would make 
king Artaxerxes willing to do what he should ask of him ; for 
Nehemiah was going to ask the king to send him to Jerusa¬ 
lem, that he might build up the walls of the city, and help 
the Jews who were there. 

After this, as king Artaxerxes was sitting one day in his 
palace, Nehemiah took the wine-cup and handed it to him to 
drink. And Nehemiah looked sad ; the king noticed it, and 
said to him, Why is thy face sad, seeing thou art not sick ? 
Surely thou hast some sorrow in thy heart. Nehemiah an¬ 
swered, Let the king live forever: should I not look sad while 
"Jerusalem, the city where my fathers are buried, is left with¬ 
out walls, and its gates are burned with fire ? The king said 
to him, What dost thou ask of me? What is thy request? At 
first Nehemiah did not answer, but silently in his heart, he 
prayed again, that God would make the king willing to do what 
31 



482 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 

he should ask. Then he answered the king, saying, If it 
please thee, I pray thou wilt send me to Jerusalem, that I 
may build up its walls. The king said (while the queen was 
sitting by him), How long will thy journey take thee ? and how 
soon wilt thou return? When Nehemiah had told him, the 
king gave him permission to go. 

And Nehemiah said, If it please the king, let letters be 
given me to the governors of the provinces through which I 
shall pass, telling them to help me; and a letter also to the 
keeper of the king’s forest which is near Jerusalem, that he may 
give me timber to make beams for the walls and gates of the 
city. And the king gave the letters, because the Lord made 
him willing in this thing also, to do as Nehemiah asked him. 
Then Nehemiah started on his journey, and the king sent sol¬ 
diers and horsemen with him to guard him by the way. And 
he came to the governors of the provinces that were near to the 
land of Judah, and gave them the letters which the king had 
sent. Now there were with the governors two wicked men, 
named Sanballat and Tobiah, who were enemies to the Jews. 
When they heard, therefore, that the king had sent a man to 
help the Jews, it grieved them exceedingly. 

And Nehemiah came safely to Jerusalem. After he had been 
there three days, he rose up secretly in the night, so that his 
enemies might not know it, and went out to examine the walls 
of the city, and see if what had been told him about them was 
true; and he found that it was true, for they were broken down 
and in ruins. Afterward he spoke to the people, saying, You 
see the danger and distress we are in, with no wall to guard us. 
Come, let us build up the wall, that we be no longer afraid of 
our enemies. Then he told the Jews of the kind words that 
the king had spoken to him. And they said to one another, 
Let us rise up and build. So they began to build the wall. 
The priests, the Levites, the people, and even some of the 
women of Israel, helped in the work. 

But when Sanballat heard of it, he was angry, and mocked 
them, saying, What are these weak Jews doing ? will they try 
to build a wall around Jerusalem ? And where will they find 


THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 


483 


stones enough among the heaps of rubbish that were left by 
their enemies, after they had burned the city ? Then Tobiah, 
who was with Sanballat, answered him, saying, Such a wall as 
they can build, even a fox, if he should go up on it, would 
break down. But the Jews went on with the work till they 
had built the wall up to half of its height all around the city, 
and the tw T o ends of it were joined together. 

Then Sanballat, and Tobiah, and all the enemies of the Jews, 
spoke secretly to one another, and said, We will go and fight 
against them; but we will go suddenly, so that they may not 
know we are near until we come among them and slay them, 



BUILDING UP THE WALL OF JERUSALEM. 


and cause the work .to cease. But the Jews were told of their 
coming; and Nehemiah set the men of Israel behind the wall, 
with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And he said to 
them, Be not afraid; remember that the Lord will help you. 
Fight, therefore, for your wives, your children, and your homes 












484 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And when their enemies heard that the Jews had made ready 
for them, they did not come against the city. 

After that half of the men of Israel worked on the wall, while 
the other half watched with swords, and spears, and bows. And 
even those who were building, carried their swords with them. 
And Nehemiah kept a trumpeter near him, whom he commanded 
to blow on his trumpet if their enemies should come in sight. 
For, he said, the wall is very long, and while we are at work we 
are separated far from one another. Therefore, so soon as you 
shall hear the sound of the trumpet in any place, make haste to 
help the men who are there. So the people labored in the work 
from morning till evening. And neither Nehemiah, nor the 
men who were with him, took off their clothes, by day or by 
night, except when they took them off for washing. 

Now about this time the Jews had trouble among themselves. 
For some of those who were poor, complained against the rich. 
We and our children are many, they said, and we have had to 
buy bread, and to pay the king’s tribute money also. To do 
this, we were forced to borrow money; yes, and even to sell our 
children for slaves. And now the rich men, who lent us money, 
have taken away our lands and our vineyards, and we have noth¬ 
ing left. Neither are we able to buy back our children, that we 
may bring them to their homes again. Yet we are Jews as well 
as the rich princes and rulers who have taken our lands from us, 
and we love our children as much as they love theirs. 

When Nehemiah heard what the poor Jews said, he was 
angry, and called all the people together; and he spoke to 
the princes and rulers before them, saying, You do wrong to 
your poor brethren and are cruel to them. Give back to 
them, I pray you, this day, their houses, their lands and their 
vineyards; and also the money, the corn, the wine, and the 
oil, that you are taking from them. The princes and rulers 
answered him, saying, We will do what thou dost command. 
Then Nehemiah called the priests, and made the princes and 
rulers promise them, before the Lord, that they would surely 
do as they had said. 

Now when Sanballat and Tobiah heard that Nehemiah, and 


THE BOOK OF NE HE MI AH. 


485 


the men of Israel, were still at work on the wall, and that it 
was built up all around the city, they were afraid to go into 
Jerusalem. So they sent word to Nehemiah, saying, Come 
down to one of the villages on the plain, and meet us there, 
for we wish to talk with thee. But Nehemiah knew that 
they wanted only to do him some harm. So he sent messen¬ 
gers back to them, saying, I am doing a great work, and I can¬ 
not come down. Ought I to leave that work, and cause it to 
cease, while I go and talk with you? Yet these men sent to 
him four times, asking him to come; and Nehemiah answered 
them each time in the same way. 

Then Sanballat sent his servant again, with a letter in his 
hand. The letter said, Some persons have told me that the 
Jews who are in Jerusalem are going to rebel against the 
king of Persia, and that thou dost want to make thyself their 
king, and therefore thou art building up the wall around the 
city. Now before the king of Persia shall hear of this, thou 
hadst better come out and talk with me about what thou hast 
done. But Nehemiah sent an answer to Sanballat, saying, The 
things thou speakest of are not true, and thou knowest they are 
not; thou art only pretending them out of thy own evil heart. 
Then Nehemiah prayed to the Lord to help him, so that the 
work on the w r all should not be stopped by his enemies. 

When Sanballat and Tobiah found that they could not per¬ 
suade Nehemiah to come out of Jerusalem, they hired a man in 
the city to try and deceive him, and make him afraid. The 
man’s name was Shemaiah. He shut himself up in his house 
and pretended that the Lord had spoken to him, and sent a mes¬ 
sage by him to Nehemiah. And Nehemiah went to his house 
and talked with him ; and Shemaiah said, Come let us go into 
the temple and shut to the doors, for thy enemies are coming to 
slay thee ; yes, in the night they are coming to slay thee. But 
Nehemiah answered him, saying, Ought a man who is doing 
work for the Lord, to leave that work unfinished and flee? And 
who that knows he is obeying the Lord, as I do, would go into 
the temple and hide there to save his life ? I will not go in. 
For Nehemiah saw that the Lord had not spoken to Shemaiah 


486 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


at all, but that Sanballat and Tobiah had paid that wicked man 
to tell him an untruth. And Nehemiah prayed to the Lord 
that he would remember how Sanballat and Tobiah were trying 
to stop him in his work, and that the Lord would not let them 
succeed. 

So Nehemiah and the people kept on working at the wall, 
and they finished it in fifty-two days. Afterward they dedicated 
it. The priests, the Levites, and the people, went up on the top 
of it in two great companies. One company went one way, and 
the other went the other way. And they walked around the 
city, on the top of the wall, with trumpets and harps, singing 
praises, until they met. Then they came down from the wall 
and marched together up to the temple, and offered sacrifices 
there with joy and gladness. So the wall was dedicated, or 
given to the Lord, that it might be his, to guard his temple and 
his people from their enemies. 

And Nehemiah set rulers over the city, and said to them, Let 
the gates be shut at night, and not opened in the morning till 
the sun has risen high up in the heavens. And cause the men 
of the city to watch upon the walls, every one taking his turn 
there, to guard against our enemies. 

We have read that while the children of Israel were in the wil¬ 
derness, the Lord commanded silver trumpets to be made for the 
priests to blow when they were about to start on their journeys. 
These trumpets were to be blown also at the coming of the new 
moon, or on the first day of each month. But on the first day 
of the seventh month the trumpets were to be blown and all the 
people were to meet together to worship. No work was to be 
done on that day, and the children of Israel were to hold a feast 
to the Lord ; it was called the Feast of Trumpets. 

And now the first day of the seventh month having come, the 
people met together to worship, as the Lord commanded. And 
they asked Ezra, the priest, to bring out of the temple the book 
of the law which Moses had written. Then Ezra brought out 
the book, and he stood on a pulpit of wood where all the people 
could see him, for he was above them all. And he opened the 
book before them and read out of it to' the men, the women, and 


THE BOOK OF NEH EM I AH. 


487 



FEAST OF TRUMPETS. 


the children, from morning till noon; and the priests and Le- 
vites explained what was read. 

When the people heard the words of God’s law and remem¬ 
bered how often they had disobeyed it, they were troubled and 
wept. But the Levites said to them, Do not weep, for this is the 































488 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


day for a feast to the Lord, when you are to be glad, and to thank 
him. Go therefore to your homes, and eat and drink of the 
good things which he has given you, and send some of those 
things to the poor, who have none of their own. So all the 
people went away to eat, and drink, and send gifts to the poor, 
and to be glad and rejoice; because the Lord was kind to them, 
and because they had understood the w 7 ords that were read to 
them out of his law. 

The next day they came to Ezra again that he might teach 
them still more. And he read out of the book, that God com¬ 
manded them to keep the feast of tabernacles that same month. 
Go up, the book said, on the mountains, and cut down olive 
branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and make 
booths. So the people went up and cut branches from the trees, 
and made themselves booths on the flat roofs of their houses, in 
their yards, in the courts of the temple, and in the streets of 
Jerusalem; and they all came out of their houses and lived in 
the booths for the seven days of the feast. And there was great 
joy and gladness among them ; because no such feast had been 
kept in Jerusalem for hundreds of years. 

And yet although the people kept the feast and rejoiced, 
because the Lord was so good to them, they did not forget that 
they had often disobeyed him, and that he was still punishing 
them for their sins. Therefore on the twenty-fourth day of the 
month they met together again, to fast and confess their sins to 
him, and they put on sackcloth to show their grief. 

Then some of the Levites stood up before them, and prayed, 
saying, Remember, we pray thee, O Lord, all the troubles that 
have come upon us since the time when we were carried away 
captives, until this day. Yet it was just in thee to punish us, 
and thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly. Therefore 
thou hast given our land to the Assyrians, and they rule over 
us and our cattle, and do with us as they please, and we are in 
great distress. But now we want to be thy servants; and here 
we promise to obey thee, and we do also write down our promise, 
and our priests and Levites, and chief men, will sign the writing 
for us with their names, and seal it with their seals. 


THE BOOK OF NEITEMIAH. 


489 



Then Nehemiah, the governor, and some of the priests and 
many of the chief men of Israel, signed the writing which the 
people had made. And the people promised, before the Lord, 
to obey all his commandments; that they would not make friends 
with the heathen nations, nor take wives from among them; 
that they would keep holy the sabbath day; that they would 
gave a tenth part of all that grew in their fields to the priests 
and the Levites, and would bring the first of their grain and of 
their fruits, each year, to the temple, as an offering to the Lord. 
All these things the people promised to do. 

After this Nehemiah went back to Persia, as he had promised 
the king. We are not told how long he stayed there, but when 


he returned to Jerusalem, he found that the people had already 
forgotten their promise to obey God’s law. They had again 
made friends with the heathen nations around them, and had 
taken wives from among the heathen women ; they had ceased 
giving to the priests and the Levites a tenth of their fruit and 


THE PEOPLE CONFESS THEIR SINS TO THE LORD. 




























490 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


their grain, so that the Levites had gone awa^ from the temple 
to work in the fields, and raise food for themselves. Then Nehe- 
miah was grieved, and he called the priests and Levites back to 
the temple, saying, Why is the house of God forsaken ? 

And Nehemiah saw the people loading their asses on the 
sabbath, and bringing their grain in from the fields; they 
brought grapes and figs, and all kinds of burdens into Jeru¬ 
salem on that day. Then he spoke to the rulers, and said, Why 
do ye so wickedly ? Did not God punish our fathers for doing 
these things, by destroying this city ? 

On the evening before the sabbath, when it began to grow 
dark, Nehemiah commanded that the gates of the city should 
be shut, and not opened again till the sabbath was past. And 
he set some of his own servants to watch that no burden should 
be brought into the city on the sabbath day. Then those men 
who came from other cities with fish, and all kinds of goods, 
to sell on the sabbath, when they found the gates shut, lay 
down outside of the walls and slept there all night. The next 
sabbath they came, and did the same. And Nehemiah spoke 
to them, saying, Why do ye lodge before the wall ? If ye do so 
again I will take hold of you, and punish you. Therefore 
they came no more on the sabbath. 

And he spoke to the men who had married heathen women, 
and who.wanted others to do as they had done. Nehemiah said 
to them, Was not Solomon a great and wise king? Yet when 
he took heathen wives, they tempted even him into sin. Shall 
we then listen to you, when you would persuade us to dis¬ 
obey God, and do this great wickedness? 


A SHORT ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE JEWS FROM 
THE TIME WHEN THE OLD TESTAMENT ENDS TO THE TIME 
WHEN THE NEW TESTAMENT BEGINS. 

B. C. 434-4. 

T HE chapter which we last read ends the Old Testament, and 
the Bible tells us no more about the Jews for over four hun¬ 
dred years. From other books we learn that they continued to be 




CONNECTION BETWEEN OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. 491 


servants to the kings of Persia for nearly a hundred years after 
Nehemiah returned from Babylon. Then Alexander, a great 
general, who was at war with Persia, brought an army, and took 
Jerusalem, and the Jews served him for nine years. 

After his death they were servants to the kings of Egypt for 
more than a hundred years. Some of these kings treated the 
Jews kindly; but, at last, one of them came to Jerusalem, and 
seeing how beautiful the temple was, he determined to go, not 
only into its courts, but into the building itself, where the priests 
alone were allowed to go. The priests begged him not to dis¬ 
obey God by doing this, and the people cried out with fear and 
sorrow when they saw him going; still he went on until he came 
to the holy place. But while he was there, God sent such great 
terror and weakness upon him, that he had to be carried out 
like one almost dead. In his anger at not being permitted to do 
as he wished, he treated the Jews very cruelly, making slaves 
of some and putting others to death. 

After this the Jews refused to obey the kings of Egypt, and 
served the kings of Syria for over thirty years. The one whom 
they first served was good to them as long as he lived. But 
after he died, his son, Antiochus, hearing they had rebelled 
against him, came with an army and took Jerusalem, not spar¬ 
ing the people, but putting both old and young to death. In 
three days forty thousand of them were slain, and as many 
more sold to be captives. The king then went into the temple 
and took away the golden altar, the golden table, the golden 
candlestick, and all the treasures that were kept there. 

Two years afterward, he sent Apollonius, one of his generals, 
with twenty-two thousand men, against Jerusalem. Apollonius 
came into the city, and waiting until the Sabbath-day, when he 
knew the Jews would not fight against him, he set his soldiers 
upon the people, commanding them to kill the men, to take the 
women and children captive, to rob the houses, and to throw down 
the city walls. The soldiers obeyed his commands, putting so 
many of the Jews to death, that the streets of the city and the 
courts of the temple ran with their blood. 

But not satisfied \vith what he had already done to show his 


492 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


fury against them, the king of Syria afterward made a decree 
forbidding the Jews to offer up sacrifices to God, or to obey God’s 
laws, or to keep the Sabbath day. He sent an officer to Jerusa- 



ELEAZAR FORCED TO EAT SWINE’S FLESH. 


lem who drove them away from the temple and made it a place 
to worship idols in. Heathen altars were set up in every city 
of the land, and the Jews who w r ould not sacrifice upon them 
were punished. One of their elders, an old man named Eleazar, 





























CONNECTION BETWEEN OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. 493 

was forced by the king’s servants to take swine’s flesh into his 
mouth, which the Lord had commanded the Jews not to eat. 
When he spat it out he was beaten to death. 

Seven brothers, with their mother, were taken by the king and 
scourged, to make them eat swine’s flesh. But the eldest brother 
spoke to the king, saying, We will not eat of it, for we would 
rather die than disobey the laws of God. Then the king, in great 
anger, commanded that his tongue should be cut out, and parts 
of his feet and hands cut off, and afterward that he should be 
burned slowly over a fire as long as there was any life in him. 
As soon as he was dead, the other brothers were asked whether 



they would obey the king; and as they refused, were one by one 
tortured and put to death. When the mother had seen her seven 
sons die, she also was slain. 

There was at this time among the Jews, a family called the 
Maccabees. The father, who was a priest, had five sons. He 


















494 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


loved the worship of God, but hated the worship of idols; and 
he killed one of the king’s servants for setting up an idol’s altar 
in the city where he lived. Then he fled with his sons to the 
mountains. There many of the Jews came to him until he had 



THE MACCABEES RECEIVE THEIR FATHER’S BLESSING. 

gathered around him a little army, with which he fought 
against their enemies. 

But being an old man he could not bear the hardships of war, 
and feeling that the time was near for him to die, he called his 
sons to give them his blessing. And he told them not to fear the 
Syrians, but to be brave, and go out to battle against them, trust¬ 
ing in God, and obeying the words of his law. 

The sons, after their father was dead, obeyed his command. 
They led the people against their enemies and drove them away 
from the temple. Then the Jews came back to the temple and 
destroyed the idol’s altar which the Syrians had built; and they 
cleansed the temple and began to worship God there again. Af¬ 
ter this they gained more victories over their enemies until they 













CONNECTION BETWEEN OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS 495 


were free ; and they had kings of their own, of the family of the 
Maccabees, to rule over them for nearly a hundred years. 

But now, when God had helped them and made them free once 
more, they forgot him, and, instead of obeying his command to 
love one another, they grew proud and selfish, and had wars and 



the JEWS DESTROY THE IDOL’S ALTAR IN THE TEMPLE. 


battles among themselves. At last, while two brothers, the sons 
of their former king, were quarrelling as to which should rule 
over the people, the Romans came with an army and took Jeru¬ 
salem, and broke down its walls; and the Jews were made ser- 




























496 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


vants to the Romans, as they had been before to the Egyptians 
and the Syrians. 

The Romans sent a general, named Herod, to be their king. 
He was not one of the children of Israel, yet he pretended to be¬ 
lieve in their religion and to worship God as they did. He was, 
in truth, a fierce and cruel man who cared only to be ruler over 
the people, and to keep all the power to himself. That he might 
do this, he put many persons to death, among them his wife and 
two of his own sons. 

After he had been king eighteen years, finding that the Jews 
hated him for his wickedness, he determined to build up the 
temple anew, by doing which he hoped to please them, and make 
them more willing to have him rule over them. The temple 
which then stood on mount Moriah, was the one built by the 
Jews after they had returned with Zerubbabel from Babylon. It 
was nearly five hundred years old, and much broken and decayed. 
Herod took it down, a part at a time, and built it up again with 
great stones of white marble. These stones he covered, in some 
places, with plates of silver and gold. The building was very 
splendid, and shone so brightly under the morning sun that it 
dazzled the eyes of those who looked on it. 

The inside of the temple was divided, as it had been before, by 
the curtain called the veil, into two rooms: one of them being 
the holy place, where the golden altar, the golden table, and the 
golden candlestick stood; and the other, the most holy place, 
where the ark used to stand. But the ark had been lost, long 
before, (as we suppose) when the Jews were carried captive to 
Babylon, on account of their sins. They had no ark now to 
bring into the most holy place, and we are told that this was 
empty, except that a stone lay on the spot where the ark should 
have been. 

Outside of the temple was the court called the court of the 
priests, where the altar of burnt offering and the laver stood. 
And outside of this court was another, called the court of Israel, 
where the men of Israel might come. Beyond this was a third 
court, called the court of the women, because the women of Israel 
might go there. And outside of this, and around all the others, 


CONNECTION BETWEEN OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. 497 

was a very large court, called the court of the Gentiles, because 
the Gentiles, that is, the people of other nations beside the Jews, 
were allowed to go into it. 

Nine large and splendid gates opened into these courts; one, 
more splendid than the rest, was called the Beautiful Gate. It 



GATE GATE 

PLAN OP HEROD’S TEMPLE. 


was seventy-five feet high and covered with Corinthian brass, 
which, at that time, was more costly than silver or gold. Around 
the different courts, walls were built; that around the court of 
the Gentiles was twenty-five feet high. On the inside of this 
wall were wide porches with flat roofs, which rested on marble 
pillars so large, that three men wdth their arms stretched out 
could hardly reach around one of them. The floor of the 
porches was paved with different colored marble. • One of the 
porches was called Solomon’s, because it stood over a very 
high wall which Solomon had built up from the valley below. 
These porches made a beautiful covered walk for the people in 
hot or stormy weather; while in pleasant weather they walked 
upon their flat roofs, from which they had a view of the temple, 
the city, and the mountains that were around Jerusalem. 

The Jews did not go into the temple itself to worship; only 
32 






















498 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


the priests were allowed to go there. The people worshipped 
in the courts of the temple, and when they said they were going 
up to the temple, they meant they were going up to its courts. 
The way up to these, on the top of mount Moriah, was by high 
flights of steps. 

Herod had eighteen thousand men at work on the temple and 
its courts, and it took him over nine years to build them. 


END OF CONNECTION BETWEEN OLD ANI) NEW TESTAMENTS. 



MATT. II. LUKE I, II. 

B. C. 6-A. D. 8. 

[A. D., or Anno Domini, meana in the year of our Lord : or, of the Chriatian era. This era, as 
usage has fixed it, begins four years after the actual time of our Saviour’s birth. We are there¬ 
fore obliged to give the date of his birth, at 4 years before the commencement of the Christian era.] 

THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST AND OF JESUS. THE ANGELS APPEAR 
TO THE SHEPHERDS. WISE MEN FROM THE EAST COME TO BETHLE¬ 
HEM. HEROD SLAYS THE CHILDREN THERE. JOSEPH FLEES WITH 
JESUS INTO EGYPT. JESUS ATTENDS THE PASSOVER. 

A ND now the time was near for the Saviour to come upon 
earth. We have read how God promised, when Adam 
and Eve first sinned in the garden, that a Saviour should come. 
We have read also how the prophets who lived afterward, told 
the children of Israel that he was coming. But before he came, 
they said, John the Baptist would be sent to tell the people to 
make ready for him by repenting of their sins. 

While Herod was king in Judea there lived a priest named 
Zacharias. His wife was named Elizabeth. They were both 

of them old, and the Bible tells us, were righteous and care- 

499 








500 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


ful to obey all God’s commandments. But God had never 
given them a child. 

The priests were still divided into different courses, or com¬ 
panies, as king David had divided them. There were twenty- 
four of these courses. Each one took its turn in staying for 
a time, at the temple, to attend to God’s worship there. The 
course of priests which Zacharias belonged to, was called the 
course of Abia. 

Very early every morning, before it was light, the priests at 
the temple began the work of the day. Some of them went to 
the altar of burnt offering and cleaned it, taking away the 
ashes that had been left there from the day before, and putting 
fresh wood on the fire, which was never allowed to go out. 
Other priests went into the temple, and trimmed the lamps 
on the golden candlestick, and cleaned the golden altar of 
incense. Afterward one of the priests offered up a lamb on the 
altar of burnt offering, and another burned incense on the gold¬ 
en altar. The lamb was offered up, and the incense burned, 
about nine o’clock in the morning, and again about three 
o’clock in the afternoon. These were called the hours of 
prayer. At these hours the people came up to the temple to 
worship, and stood in the court, praying, while the incense 
w r as burning in the holy place. 

Every day, before the priests began their work, lots w r ere cast 
for them, to see what part of the work, or service, each one was 
to do. On the day we are reading about, the part of Zacharias 
w T as to burn incense on the golden altar; therefore he went into 
the holy place to burn incense at the hour of prayer. 

And while he w T as in the temple he saw an angel standing 
beside the golden altar. When he saw him he was afraid. But 
the angel said, Fear not, Zacharias, for God will give to thee and 
thy wife, Elizabeth, a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 
He shall not drink wine or any strong drink, and shall be filled 
with God’s Holy Spirit from the time he is born. He shall tell 
the children of Israel of the Saviour who is coming, and shall 
teach many of them to repent of their sins and obey him. Then 
Zacharias said to the angel, But how shall I know that these 


THE GOSPELS. 


501 



THE ANGEL APPEARS TO ZACHARIAS IN THE TEMPLE. 


things will be ? The angel answered, I am the angel Gabriel, 
who live in heaven and stand before God, to do whatever he 
commands me, and he has sent me to tell thee this good news. 
And now, because thou hast not believed it, thou shalt be pun- 





















































502 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


ished by being dumb and unable to speak, until the words I 
have spoken come true. 

And the people who were waiting in the courts of the temple 
for Zacharias to come out of the holy place, wondered what 
kept him so long. When he came they saw that he could not 
speak. But he made them understand, by signs, that he had 
seen a vision. 

Six months after this God sent the angel Gabriel into the city 
of Nazareth, to a young woman named Mary. She was a cousin 
of Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias, and was descended from 
king David. When Mary saw the angel, she was troubled, for 
she knew not why he had come. But he said, Fear not, Mary; 
for God has greatly blessed thee. Thou shalt have a son, and 
shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be 
called the Son of God. And God will make him king over 
those who love him, forever. To thy cousin Elizabeth, also, 
God has promised a son. Mary answered the angel, saying, I 
am the servant of the Lord, let it be done to me as thou hast 
said. And the angel departed from her. 

Then Mary made haste and went into the land of Judah, to 
the house of Zacharias and Elizabeth, to visit her cousin, and 
she stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Afterward she 
came back to her own home. Now Mary’s husband was named 
Joseph. He also was descended from king David; yet they 
were both poor, and Joseph was a carpenter. 

And God gave to Zacharias and Elizabeth, the son he had 
promised them. When the child was eight days old, their 
neighbors and relations came together, to dedicate, or give him 
to the Lord, and also to decide what his name should be. And 
they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. But 
his mother said, Not so; he shall be called John. They said to 
her, None of thy relations are called by this name. And they 
made signs to his father, asking what he would have him called. 
He asked for a writing table, because he could not yet speak, 
and wrote, saying, His name is John. Then they were all 
astonished; for Zacharias had not yet told them that the angel 
had given him this name in the temple. 


THE GOSPELS. 


503 



As soon as Zacharias had written these words, God gave him 
power to speak again; and he spoke, and praised God. And 
all the people in that part of the land heard of what had been 
done, and they said, What sort of a child shall this be? And 
the boy grew, and the Lord blessed him, and he lived in the 
lonely wilderness, away from the rest of the people, until he was 


THE NAMING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 

a man, and the time had come for him to preach to the Jews, and 
tell them about Jesus. For this little child, whom God had given 
to Zacharias and Elizabeth, w r as John the Baptist. 

We have read that the Jews were servants to the Komans: 
they had to obey whatever the emperor of Rome commanded. 
And now he made a decree that all the Jews should be enrolled, 
or have their names written down, and he commanded each one 
of them to go to the city where his fathers had lived, so that the 
Roman officers might take down his name there. Therefore 
every one went to his own city. And Mary, with Joseph her 















504 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


husband, went out of Nazareth, where their home was then, to 
Bethlehem, where David used to live, because they were descended 
from king David. When they came to Bethlehem, there was no 
room for them at the inn: it was already full, and they went into 
the stable to sleep. And while they were there, God gave to 
Mary the son which the angel had promised her. It was in the 
stable in Bethlehem that the infant Jesus was born. And Mary 
his mother, wrapped him round with swaddling clothes, or bands, 
and laid him in a manger. 

There were in that country shepherds, who staid out in the 
field w r atching over their flocks all night. And the angel of the 



THE BIRTH OF JESUS. 


Lord came down to them, and a bright light shone around them, 
and they were afraid. But the angel said, Fear not, for I 
bring you good news which shall give joy to all people. Be¬ 
cause there is born for you this day, in the city of David, a 
Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this is the way you shall 









THE GOSPELS. 


505 


know him: You shall find him wrapped in swaddling clothes, 
and lying in a manger. AVhen the angel had said this, sud¬ 
denly there was a multitude of angels with him, who praised 
God, saying, Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, 
good will toward men. 

After the angels had gone from them up into heaven, the 
shepherds said one to another, Let us go now to Bethlehem, and 



THE ANGEL SPEAKS TO THE SHEPHERDS. 

see these things of which the angel has told us. And they came 
with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in 
a manger. And they saw the child, and afterward went out and 
told others what the angel had said to them about him. And 
all whom they told wondered at what they said. Then the 
shepherds returned to their flocks again, praising God for what 
they had seen and heard. 

When the babe was eight days old, his parents called his name 
Jesus, as the angel had commanded ; and they dedicated him to 









506 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the Lord. For although he was the Son of God, yet he came 
on the earth to be like one of us, and to set us an example in 
all things, of what we ought to do. 

After this Joseph and Mary brought him to Jerusalem, and 
took him tp the temple, and offered up a sacrifice of turtle-doves, 
or young pigeons. And there was a man in Jerusalem named 
Simeon. He was a good man who feared God, and who was ex¬ 
pecting Jesus to come into the world from what the prophets had 
written about him. And the Holy Spirit had promised Simeon 
that he should not die until he had seen Jesus. And now the 
Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple, and when Joseph and 
Mary brought in the child, Simeon took him up in his arms, 
and said, Now, Lord, thy promise has come true, and I can die 
in peace, because I have seen the Saviour. 

And there was a woman named Anna, a prophetess. She was 
a widow of great age, and she lived near to the temple, so that 
she might worship there day and night. While Simeon was 
speaking, she also came into the temple where Jesus was, and 
thanked God because he had let her see him. And she went 
out, and spoke of him to others who were looking for the coming 
of the Saviour. 

And there came to Jerusalem wise men from some far off 
eastern country, who asked the people, saying, Where is he that 
is born to be king of the Jews ? for we have seen his star in the 
sky, and are come to worship him. God had sent a star that 
shone over the land where these wise men lived, so they might 
know that Jesus w 7 as born; and they had come to Jerusalem seek¬ 
ing him. But when they reached there they did not see Jesus; 
therefore they asked the people where they might find him. 

Herod heard what they said, and was troubled because they 
called Jesus, King. He was afraid that the child which was 
born, might some day be made king over Judea instead of 
himself. Therefore he also wanted to know where Jesus was. 
And he gathered together some learned men who he knew had 
studied the Scriptures, and asked them to tell him where Christ 
should be born. They answered, In the city of Bethlehem, for 
bo the prophet has said. Then Herod called the wise men to 


THE GOSPELS. 


507 


him, and sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and look dili¬ 
gently for the young child, and when you have found him 
bring me word, that I may come and worship him also. But 
he said this, not because he wanted to worship Jesus: it was 
because he wanted to put him to death. 

After Herod had spoken to them, the wise men departed from 
Jerusalem, and went toward Bethlehem. And as they went, the 
star which they had seen in their own land, appeared to them 
again. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy, for 
it moved on before them, and showed them the way, till it came 
and stood over the house where the young child was. And they 



THE WISE MEN BRINGING PRESENTS TO JESUS. 


went into the house and saw the young child with Mary his 
mother, and they bowed down and worshipped him. 

In those days, persons who came to visit kings, brought pres¬ 
ents with them. And the wise men brought presents for Jesus, 
of such things as were precious in the country where they lived. 
And when they had opened these things, they gave to him gifts 
of gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. But God spoke to them in 













508 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



a dream, and commanded them not to go back to Herod ; there¬ 
fore they returned to their own country by another w y ay. 

When Herod found that the wise men had disobeyed him, he 
w r as very angry, and sent his servants to Bethlehem and slew all 
the little children there, that were two years old or younger, for 


THE ANGEL WAKNS JOSEPH TO FLEE INTO EGYPT. 

he hoped that among them Jesus would be slain. But before 
Herod’s servants came, the angel of the Lord told Joseph to 
take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt. And 
Joseph arose in the night and fled into Egypt; and he stayed 
there till Herod was dead. Then the angel spoke to him again, 
saying, Arise, and go back into the land of Israel, for they are 
dead who sought to destroy the young child. And Joseph did 
as the angel commanded, and he and Mary and the young child 
came and lived in the city of Nazareth. 

Joseph and Mary used to go every year to Jerusalem, to keep 
the feast of the passover ; and when Jesus w r as twelve years old, 
he also w r ent v T ith them. After the days of the feast v 7 ere ended, 
they started on their journey back to Nazareth. Now people 
w r ho w r ent to the passover, used to travel in companies; friends 
and neighbors would go up to Jerusalem together : some of them 













THE GOSPELS 1 


509 



rode on mules and horses, perhaps, but many of them walked all 
the way. It was with such a company as this that Joseph and 
Mary started to return to Nazareth, and they thought that Jesus 
was among those who journeyed with them. So they went on 
till evening ; then they looked for him, but could not find him. 
Therefore they left the company they journeyed with, and went 
back to Jerusalem. They had been one day in coming to the 
place where they missed him ; it took them one day more to go 
back to Jerusalem, but on the next, or the third day, they found 
him at the temple, talking with the doctors,'or wise men, hear¬ 
ing what they said, and asking them questions. 

And all who heard Jesus were astonished at the things that 


THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 

he spoke, for he was only a child, but those whom he talked 
with were men of great learning. And his mother said to him, 
Son, why hast thou treated us so ? Thy father and I have been 
looking for thee, anxious and sorrowful. He answered, Why 
have you looked for me ? Hid you not know that I must be 









510 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


about my Father’s business ? He meant that he must be doing 
what his Father in heaven had sent him on earth to do. For 
God had sent Jiim to teach men and explain the Scriptures to 
them, before he should die on the cross for their sins. But 



JESUS IN THE TEMPLE TALKING WITH THE DOCTORS. 


Joseph and Mary did not understand what he meant by the 
words that he spoke to them. 

Then Jesus returned with his parents to their home in the 
city of Nazareth, and he lived with them, and obeyed what 
they said to him. And as he grew, God blessed him, and 
those who were with him loved him. 






















THE GOSPELS. 


511 


MATT. III., IT., XIV. MARK I., VI. LUKE III., IV. 
JOHN I.-IV. 


A. D. 26-32. 


JOHN PREACHES IN THE WILDERNESS; HE BAPTIZES JESUS, WHO IS 
AFTERWARD TEMPTED BY SATAN. JESUS TURNS WATER INTO WINE. 
HE DRIVES THE TRADERS OUT OF THE TEMPLE. HE TALKS WITH 
N1CODEMUS. JOHN IS PUT TO DEATH. JESUS COMES TO NAZARETH. 


FTER what we have read in the last chapter, the Bible 



YY. tells us nothing more about Jesus, or about John the Bap¬ 
tist, for many years. During those years Jesus grew up to be a 
man, while he was living with his parents in the city of Naz¬ 
areth. The people did not know that he was the Son of God, 
and John the Baptist had not yet preached to them about him. 
John was still living in the wilderness. His clothes were made 
of the coarse hair that grows on the back of the camel, and 
were fastened around his waist by a girdle or belt of leather. 
He had for his food the insects called locusts, which he found 
out in the wilderness, and the honey which the wild bees left 
among the rocks, and in the hollow trees. 

But now the time had come for John to preach to the people, 
and God commanded him to go and tell them to make ready for 
the Saviour by repenting of their sins. Then he went into the 
lonely country near to the river Jordan, and a great multitude 
came there to hear him. And he preached to them, and told 
them that the Saviour, who had been promised, was soon coming 
among them, and that he would save the righteous, but destroy 
the wicked. The Jews must not think, John said, that their 
sins would be forgiven, because they were descended from a good 
man like Abraham; they must obey God themselves. And 
many who heard John preach, repented, and were baptized by 
him in the river Jordan. 

Now baptism means, or represents, the washing away of our 
sins. Yet it does not mean that they are washed away by 
the water on our bodies, but by the Holy Spirit sent into our 
hearts. John spoke to the people who came out to hear him, 
and said, I indeed baptize you with water, but the Saviour 
who is coming after me, is greater than I; he will baptize 



512 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 

you with the Holy Ghost. John meant to tell the people that 
although he baptized them with water, he could not wash 
their sins away ; but that Jesus, because he had power to send 
the Holy Spirit into their hearts, could really wash away their 
sins for them. 

Then Jesus came out from his home in Nazareth for John to 
baptize him also. But when John saw him he did not wish to 


JOHN PREACHING IN THE WILDERNESS. 

baptize him ; John said, I have need to be baptized by thee, and 
dost thou come to be baptized by me ? John felt that he had 
need to have his own sins washed away. But Jesus had no sins 
to be washed away; why then should he be baptized ? It was 
because he had come on earth to obey all of God’s command¬ 
ments, for us, and in our place, so that if we believe in him, we 
may be rewarded for his obedience. 

When John refused to baptize Jesus, Jesus told him that al¬ 
though he could not understand it now, yet it was right that he 
should baptize him. Then John consented and went down with 
him into the river Jordan, and baptized him there. And while 
















THE GOSPELS. 


513 


Jesus was coming up out of the water, praying to God, the sky 
above him opened, and there came down from heaven what 
seemed to be a dove, and it lighted on him. It was the Holy 
Spirit that came down in the form of a dove. At the same time 
God’s voice spoke out of heaven, saying, This is my beloved 
Son with whom I am well pleased. Jesus was now about thirty 
years of age. And he went out into the wilderness and stayed 
there alone, forty days and forty nights, and all that time he 
ate nothing, but fasted and prayed to God: afterward he 
was hungry. 

We have read how Satan tempted Eve to disobey God, and so 



SATAN TEMPTS JESUS. 


caused us all to have wicked hearts and be sinners. And now 
when Satan saw Jesus coming to give us new hearts, and make us 
righteous, he thought he would try and prevent him. Therefore 
he went out into the wilderness to tempt Jesus, as he had tempted 
Eve in the garden of Eden. And he came to him and said, If 
33 









514 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


thou art the Son of God, change these stones that are lying on 
the ground into bread, so that thou mayest have food, because 
thou art hungry. But Jesus knew why Satan had come, and 
he would not make the stones into bread to obey him. He 
told him it was written in the Bible that we must be more care¬ 
ful to obey God, and do what is right, than even to get bread 
when we are hungry. 

Next Satan took Jesus into Jerusalem, and up on to a very 
high part of the temple. And he said to him, If thou art the 
Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written in the Bible that 
the angels shall hold thee up as thou art falling, lest thou be 
dashed against a stone. But Jesus said it was also written in 
the Bible, that we must not put ourselves in danger, only to try 
whether God will save us from harm. 

Then Satan set before Jesus his principal temptation. He 
took him up on to a high mountain, and showed him all the 
kingdoms of the world at the same time, with their beautiful 
cities, their mighty armies, and their great riches : and he said 
to him, All these will I give thee for thine own, if thou wilt 
kneel down and worship me. It was to try and make Jesus do 
this, that Satan had come out in the wilderness. 

He cared little whether Jesus turned the stones into bread, or 
cast himself down from the temple. But he cared a great deal 
that Jesus should be willing to obey him, and take him for his 
master. This was the reason why he promised to give him all 
the kingdoms in the world (though they were not his to give) if 
he would only kneel down and worship him. But Jesus answered 
him, saying, Go from me, Satan, for it is written in the Bible, 
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou 
serve. When Satan saw that he could not make Jesus obey his 
words, he departed from him, and behold, angels came and 
waited on him. 

And Jesus returned to the river Jordan where John was. 
When John saw him coming, he said, Behold the Lamb of God! 
He called Jesus the Lamb of God, because he was to be offered 
up as a sacrifice on the cross, as lambs were offered up on the altar. 
And two men who heard John say this, followed Jesus. Jesus 


THE GOSPELS. 


515 


spoke to them, and took them to the place where he dwelt, and 
one of them, named Andrew, brought his brother Peter also. 
The next day two others, named Philip and Nathaniel, followed 
him. All these men came to Jesus that he might teach them ; 
therefore they were his disciples, for a disciple is a person who 
learns something from another. 

Jesus went into the city of Cana, which was in that part of 
the land called Galilee, and there was a marriage in the city. 



JOHN SAID, BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD. 

The mother of Jesus was there, and both Jesus and his disciples 
were invited to the marriage. And a feast was made ready for 
all who should come. Food was prepared for them to eat, and 
wine for them to drink; but before th6 end of the feast, the wine 
was all gone. And when they wanted more, the mother of Jesus 
said to him, They have no wine. Then she said to the servants, 
Whatever he tells you to do, do it. 

Now there were in the house six water-pots made of stone, 
such as the Jews kept to hold water. Jesus said to the servants, 










516 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to tlio 
brim. Then he said, Take some out now, and carry it to the 
chief man of the feast. And when they did so, the water was 
changed into wine. But the chief man, or ruler of the feast, 
did not know that Jesus had changed it into wine, (yet the ser¬ 
vants knew), therefore when he tasted of the water that was 
made wine, he called the bridegroom to him and said, Other 
persons when they give a feast, set the good wine on the table 
first, and after men have had enough, they bring out that which 
is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This 
was the first miracle that Jesus did to show his power to the 
people. And when his disciples saw it, they believed that he 
was the Son of God. 

The time was near for the feast of the passover, and Jesus 
went up to Jerusalem to keep it. When he came to the temple, 
he found in the court of the Gentiles, men who had brought 
oxen and sheep and doves there, to sell for sacrifices; and other 
men who had tables on which were pieces of silver money. This 
money was Jewish money, and was called the half shekel. We 
are told that each Jew gave one of these half shekels to the 
priests, every year, to buy sacrifices with, or whatever else was 
needed at the temple. The men at the tables were money¬ 
changers; they exchanged, or sold, the half shekels to those 
Jews who wanted to give them to the priests. But Jesus was 
much displeased to find men selling in the court of the temple, 
and he made a scourge, or whip of small cords, and drove them 
all out, and also the sheep and the oxen. And he poured out 
the changers’ money on the ground, and threw down their tables, 
and said to those who sold doves, Take them away, make not 
my Father’s house a place to buy and sell in. And while he 
was at the feast of the passover, many believed on him when 
they saw the miracles that he did. 

There was a man named Nicodemus, who was one of the 
rulers of the Jews. He came to Jesus in the night, and said to 
him, Master, we know that God has sent thee to teach us what is 
right, for no man could do the miracles that thou doest if God 
were not with him. Jesus answered Nicodemus, and told him. 


THE GOSPELS. 


517 


that unless he was born again, that is, unless he had a new 
heart, he could not be one of God’s children. 

We have read that while the children of Israel were journey¬ 
ing through the wilderness they sinned, and fiery serpents came 
into their camp, and bit them. Then God told Moses to make a 
serpent of brass and lift it up on a pole, and when any one who 
had been bitten looked at that serpent, he was made well. And 
now Jesus said to Nicodemus, As Moses lifted up the serpent in 



the wilderness, so must I be lifted up. Jesus meant that he was 
to be lifted up on the cross, that we might look up to him, and 
be forgiven our sins. For, he said, God loved us so much, that 
he sent his only Son into the world to die for us, so that who¬ 
ever looked up to him in faith, should not be punished, but 
forgiven and taken to heaven. 

Now Herod, who slew the little children in Bethlehem, was 
dead, and his son Herod was ruler over that part of the land 













518 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE\ 


called Galilee. This Herod, like his father, was a wicked man. 
He had married Herodias, his brother’s wife, while his brother 
was yet alive. When John the Baptist told Herod that this was 
wrong, the woman, whose name was Herodias, was angry and 
would have persuaded Herod to kill him, but she could not. 
For Herod w T as afraid to kill John, because he had heard him 
preach, and knew that he was a holy man. Yet to please He¬ 
rodias, he took John and bound him, and shut him up in prison. 
And while John was in prison, Herod, on his birthday, made a 
great feast for the lords, high captains, and chief men of Galilee. 
And Salome, the daughter of Herodias, came in and danced 
before them. Then Herod was greatly pleased with her, and 
said, Ask of me whatever thou wilt, and it shall be given thee, 
even to the half of my kingdom. 

And Salome went to her mother and said, What shall I ask ? 
Her mother answered, Ask the king to command that John the 
Baptist’s head be cut off, and brought to thee here in a large 
dish. And Salome came back in haste to the king, saying, I 
want thee to give me presently, in a large dish, the head of John 
the Baptist. Then Herod was very sorry, yet because he had 
promised her, and because the men who were with him had 
heard him do so, he w T ould not refuse. And immediately he 
sent one of his soldiers who cut off John’s head in the prison, 
and brought it in a large dish to Salome, and she gave it to 
her mother. When John’s disciples heard of it, they came 
and took up his dead body and laid it in a tomb, and went 
and told Jesus. 

Jesus and his disciples went into a part of the land called 
Galilee. On the way there, they came to a city named Sy- 
char. Just outside of the city was a well, called Jacob’s well, 
where the people came to get water. It was in the hot part of 
the day, and Jesus being wearied with his journey, sat down by 
the well. His disciples had gone into the city to buy food, and 
had left him alone. 

And a woman came out of the city, carrying her pitcher to 
draw water. Now this woman was a sinner. She did not love 
God in her heart, and had done many things to displease him. 


THE GOSPELS. 


519 


Jesus knew this, for he sees all our hearts and knows of every¬ 
thing that we have done. And he talked with the woman, and 
told her of some of the things she had done, long ago, to dis¬ 
please God. Then she was surprised, and said, Sir, I see thou 
art a prophet. She meant that he was a person whom God told 



THE BURIAL OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 


of things which other people did not know. And she said to 
Jesus, I know that the Saviour is coming into the world. When 
he comes he will tell us all things. Jesus said to her, I that 
speak to thee am he. 

Then the woman left her pitcher and made haste back to 
the city, and said to the people, Come and see a man who told 
me all the things that ever I did. Is not this the Saviour ? 
And the people went out and saw Jesus, and begged him to 
come into their city. So he came there and stayed with them 
three days. And they listened to the things that he taught 
them. Then they said to the woman, Now we believe on him, 
not because thou didst tell us about him, but because we have 
heard him ourselves, and know that he is the Saviour who has 
come down from heaven. 










520 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



From that time Jesus began to teach all the people in the land 
of Israel, telling them that the Judgment day was coming, and 
that they should repent of their sins and believe in him. 

After this he went again to the city of Cana, where he had 
changed the water into wine. And a nobleman who lived in 
another city came to him, and begged him to heal his son who was 
very sick. The nobleman said, Sir, come quickly, before my child 
dies. Jesus said to him, Go to thy home, thy son is made well. 


JESUS TALKS TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL. 

And the man believed what Jesus said, and left him to go to his 
home. But before he reached there, his servants met him and 
said to him, Thy son is well. He asked at what time he began 
to get better. They answered, Yesterday at the seventh hour 
the fever left him. Then the man knew that it was at the 
same hour when Jesus said to him, Thy son is made well. 
And the nobleman and all his family believed that Jesus was 
the Son of God. 












THE GOSPELS. 


521 


The Jews, as we have read, offered up their sacrifices only at 
one place, which was the temple in Jerusalem. But they had 
houses in every city, where they met together to worship, when 
they did not want to offer up sacrifices, or to go to Jerusalem. 
These houses were called synagogues. On the Sabbath days the 
Jews met there to pray and read the Scriptures. Their Scriptures 
were the same as ours, excepting the part called the New Testa¬ 
ment, which was not written until after Jesus was crucified. 

As they did not yet know how to print, as we do now, they 
used to copy the different books of the Scriptures with pen and 
ink, on rolls of paper, or parchment. These rolls were kept in 
the synagogue, in a box or chest, called the ark, because it was 
shaped like the ark that used to stand in the most holy place in 
the temple. When the people met together in the synagogue 
on the Sabbath day, the chief officer, or as he was called, the 
ruler of the synagogue, sometimes asked one of them to read 
the Scriptures, and speak, to the rest. 

Jesus came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and 
he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. And the 
roll on which was written the book of the prophet Isaiah, was 
handed him, that he might read to the people. When he had 
opened the roll, he read to them from the part where Isaiah 
told the children of Israel of the Saviour who was coming into 
the world. After he was done reading, Jesus closed the roll 
and sat down; and the eyes of all who were in the synagogue 
were fixed on him. Then he said to them that those words of 
the prophet had come true, and that he was the Saviour, the Son 
of God, of whom Isaiah had spoken. But when he said this, 
all the men in the synagogue w T ere filled with anger, for they 
would not believe that he was the Saviour. And they rose up 
and led him out to the top of a steep hill, on which their 
city was built, that they might cast him down and kill him. 
But Jesus, because be had the power of God, went out from 
among them, and they could do him no harm. 



522 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


MATT. IV.-XII., MARK I.-IIL, LUKE IV.-VI., JOHN V. 

A. D. 31. 

JESUS TEACHES THE MULTITUDE BY THE SEA-SIDE, CALLS PETER, AN¬ 
DREW, JAMES, AND JOHN TO FOLLOW HIM, PRAYS IN THE WILDER¬ 
NESS, PREACHES THE GOSPEL, HEALS THE LEPER AND THE PARA¬ 
LYTIC, CALLS MATTHEW, HEALS THE IMPOTENT MAN, CHOOSES 
THE TWELVE APOSTLES, PREACHES THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 

J ESUS went down to Capernaum, which was a city by the 
sea of Galilee, and great numbers of people came there to 
hear him. As he stood by the sea, they crowded upon him. 
And he saw two boats on the shore, but the fishermen had gone 
out of them and were mending their nets. Then Jesus went into 
one of the boats, which was Peter’s, and asked him to push it out 
a little way from the land. And he sat down, and taught the 
people out of the boat. 

When he had done teaching them, he said to Peter and to 
Andrew, his brother, Sail out now on the sea, and let down 
your nets into the water to catch fish. Peter answered, Master, 
we have been laboring all night, and have caught nothing; yet, 
at thy command, I will let down the net. When they had done 
this they caught a great multitude of fishes, so that the net 
broke. Then they beckoned to their partners, who were in the 
other boat, by the shore, that they should come and help them. 
And they came, and filled both boats with the fish, until they 
began to sink. 

When Peter saw the miracle which Jesus had done, he kneeled 
down and worshipped him, saying, I am a sinful man, O Lord. 
For he was astonished, and so were his partners, James and John, 
at the multitude of fishes they had taken. Jesus did this miracle 
so that these men might see it, and believe on him and know 
that he was the Son of God, because he had chosen them to be his 
disciples, and to go with him wherever he should go. And he 
said to them, Come with me. Then they left their boats and 
their nets and all that they had, and followed him. 

On the Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue and 
taught the people. And a man was there who had an evil 
spirit. We have read before of evil spirits—how one of them 


THE GOSPELS. 


523 


went into king Saul, when he cast his spear at David to kill him. 
And this man who was now in the synagogue, had an evil spirit, 
and he cried out to Jesus, saying, Let us alone: what have we 
to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to 
destroy us? I know thee, that thou art the Son of God. Jesus 
said to the evil spirit, Be still, and come out of him. Then the 
spirit threw the man down, and cried with a loud voice, and 



PETER KNEELS DOWN AND WORSHIPS JESUS. 


came out of him. And all who were in the synagogue were 
astonished, and said among themselves, What does this mean ? 
for even the wicked spirits obey him. 

When they had come out of the synagogue, Jesus went into 
the house where Andrew and Peter lived. James and John also 
were there. And Peter’s wife’s mother was sick of a fever, and 
they begged Jesus to heal her. Then he stood by her bed, and 
commanded the fever to come out of her. And immediately she 
was made well, and she rose up and waited on them. In the 
evening when the sun had set, the people of the city brought 
many who were sick, and who had evil spirits, to the house 













524 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


where Jesus was, and a great multitude were gathered about the 
door. And he healed the sick, and cast out the evil spirits from 
those who had them. 

In the morning, rising up a great while before it was light, 
he went out to a lonely place in the wilderness, and there prayed 
to God. For although he was God’s Son, yet he had come on 
the earth to be a man; and while he was on earth, he felt pain 
and hunger and sorrow like men. Therefore he prayed to God 
for help, as men do; and now he went out into the wilderness 
where he would be alone, and prayed there. 

But after he had gone, the people came to Peter’s house to 
seek him. Then Peter and the other disciples followed Jesus, 
and when they found him, they said, All the people are seeking 
for thee. Jesus answered, I must go and preach the gospel in 
other cities also. And he went through all Galilee, teaching in 
the synagogues and preaching the gospel to the people. Gospel 
means good news. What good news was it that Jesus preached? 
It was this: That he had come into the world to be punished 
for our sins, in our place and instead of us ; so that, if we repent 
of those sins and believe on him, we shall not be punished at the 
Judgment day, but forgiven and taken up to heaven where we 
shall be happy forever. 

And there came to him a man with the leprosy, who kneeled 
down before him and said, Lord, if thou wilt thou carist make 
me clean. Jesus pitied him, and put out his hand and touched 
him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the lep¬ 
rosy went from him, and he was made clean. Then Jesus sent 
him away, and commanded him to tell no man who had healed 
him, but to go to the priest at the temple, and offer up a sacri¬ 
fice, as Moses had commanded those persons to do who were 
cured of the leprosy. Yet the man, as soon as he was gone, 
told all the people what Jesus had done for him. 

Now there were among the Jews some men called Scribes, 
and others called Pharisees, who pretended to be very holy. 
They studied the Scriptures and explained them to the rest of 
the people; but they did not themselves do as the Scriptures 
said. For although they obeyed some of the commandments, 


THE GOSPELS. 


525 



and were careful not to work on the Sabbath, and made long 
prayers in the synagogues, and even at the corners of the streets, 
yet they did this that others might see them and praise them for 
doing it. For these men were hypocrites, that is, persons who 
pretended to be good, while, in their hearts they were wicked. 
Therefore, when Jesus came, telling them they must repent of 
their sins, and obey God, they 
hated him, and did all they 
could to keep the people from 
believing on him. 

And Jesus went again into 
the city of Capernaum ; when 


the people heard of it they 
gathered together at the house 
where he was, and he preach¬ 
ed to them there. The houses 
of the Jews were commonly 
square, and but one story high. 
The roofs were flat, with a wall, 
or railing, around them, so that persons might safely walk there. 
In the centre of the house was a large square room called the 






526 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 

court. Over this the roof was left open, but in time of rain, 
or much heat, an awning or covering of some kind, was stretched 
across the opening. It was in such a house as this that Jesus had 
now come. And some men brought a man who was sick of the 
palsy and unable to walk, for Jesus to heal him. When they 


JESUS CURES THE MAN WITH THE PALSY. 

could not come in at the door, on account of the crowd, they 
went up on the roof (perhaps through the next house), and tak¬ 
ing off the covering, let the man down on his bed or mattress, 
into the room below where Jesus was. 

When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he spoke to the 
sick man, saying, Thy sins are forgiven thee. But some of the 
scribes and Pharisees, who were sitting there, said to them¬ 
selves, Who is this, that pretends he is able to forgive sins, as if 
he were God ? Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them, 





























THE GOSPELS. 


527 


Why do you think these things in your hearts ? Is it not as easy 
for me to forgive this man his sins, as it is to cure him of his 
palsy ? But to show you that I have power to forgive sins, I 
will make him well. Then he said to the sick man, Stand up on 
thy feet, and take up thy bed and go to thy house. And imme¬ 
diately the man rose, and stood on his feet, and took up his bed 
and went out before them all. And the people who saw it were 
astonished, and said, We never saw such things done before. 



EASTERN BEDS. 


We have read that the Jews had to pay taxes, or tribute 
money, to the Romans. There were men in each city who took 
these taxes from the people. They were called publicans. The 
Jews hated them, not only because they took their money for 
the Romans, but also because most of them were unjust and cruel 
men, taking more than was right. Yet the publicans did not all 
do this. And as Jesus passed by, he saw one of them, named 
Matthew, sitting at the place where the people came to pay him 
the tribute money. Jesus spoke to him, and said, Follow me. 
Then Matthew obeyed, and rising up, left all and followed Jesus, 
and from that time was one of his disciples. 

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to 
Jerusalem. Now there was at Jerusalem, by the sheep gate a 
pool of water called the pool of Bethesda. Around it were built 
five porches, in which lay a great number of persons who were 
sick, or blind, or lame. They waited there, because at certain 
























528 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


times the water moved, as if some one had stirred, or troubled 
it. And they thought that whoever went into it first, after it 
was troubled, was made well of whatever disease he had. 

And a man was there who had been sick thirty-eight years. 
Jesus saw him, and knowing how long he had been sick, pitied 
him. And he said to him, Wilt thou be made well ? The man 



THE POOL OF BETHESDA. 


answered, I have no one, when the water is troubled, to help me 
into the pool; but while I am trying to get down to it, another 
steps in before me, and I am too late. Jesus said to him, Rise, 
take up thy bed and walk. And immediately the man was 
made well, and took up his bed and walked. Now it was the 
Sabbath day. And the Jews, wishing to find fault, said to him, 
It is wicked for thee to carry thy bed on the Sabbath. The man 
answered, He that cured me, told me to take up my bed and 
walk. They asked him, Who is it told thee? The man said it 
was Jesus. Then did the Jews persecute Jesus and try to kill 
him, saying he had broken the Sabbath day. 

But Jesus talked with them, and told them that the miracles 
which he did showed that God had sent him, and the prophets 
also, he said, had spoken about him, though the Jews would 
not believe in him. Yet, he said, he was the Son of God, and had 
power to raise the dead, as only God had, and that the hour was 
coming when all who were in their graves should hear his voice. 




















THE GOSPELS. 


529 


and come forth. And then he would judge them. Those who 
had done good should be rewarded for their obedience, and 
those who had done evil should be punished for their sins. Be¬ 
cause his Father had made him the Judge of all men, so that 
all men should worship and obey Jesus, as they worshipped 
and obeyed God. 

Jesus walked on the Sabbath day, with his disciples, through 
the fields of corn. And they, being hungry, picked some of the 
ears, and rubbed out the grains with their hands and did eat 
them. When the Pharisees saw it they found fault, and said, 
that the disciples were working on the Sabbath. But Jesus told 
them that he was not to be judged for what he did on that day, 
because he was the Lord, or Master, of the Sabbath. 

On another Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, and a 



JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES WALK THROUGH THE CORN. 


man was there whose hand was withered, so that he could not 
open it or stretch it out. And the Pharisees watched Jesus, to 
see whether he would heal the man on the Sabbath, that they 
might accuse him of doing wrong. But Jesus knew their 
thoughts, and said to them, If one of you have a sheep which 
34 





530 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


should fall into a pit on the Sabbath, would you not lay hold of 
it and lift it out ? And if it be right to do good to a sheep, 
how much more is it to do good to a man. Therefore I tell 
you it is right to do good on the Sabbath day. Then he said 
to the man, Stretch out thy hand. And he stretched it out, 
and it was made well like the other. 

Then the Pharisees were filled with madness against him, and 
they went out of the synagogue and talked with one another 
about some way of putting him to death. When he knew of 
it he left that place, with his disciples, and came to the sea of 
Galilee. And many persons from Jerusalem and Judea, and 
from countries far off, when they heard of the wonderful works 
that he did, came to him. And those that were sick crowded 
around him, that they might by only touching him, be made 
well; and he healed them all. 

After this, he went out to a desert place alone, and stayed 
there all night praying to God. When it was morning he called 
his disciples, and chose twelve of them that they might be with 
him, and that he might send them out to preach, and give them 
power also to do miracles, to heal those that were sick, and to 
cast out devils. These twelve he called apostles, which means, 
Messengers. They were Peter, and Andrew his brother, James 
and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and 
Matthew the publican, James and Lebbeus, Simon and Judas 
Iscariot. 

And seeing the multitudes that followed him, he went up on 
to a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came to 
him, and he taught them there. He told them what persons 
were truly happy; he called them the blessed ones. He said, 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of 
heaven. 

By the poor in spirit, Jesus meant those who are humble 
on account of their sins, and who feel that God only can for¬ 
give them, and save them from punishment. Jesus called these 
persons blessed, or happy, because they are the ones whom he 
brings into his kingdom here on earth, and whom he will take 
to live with him in heaven after they die. 


THE GOSPELS. 


531 


And he said, Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be 
comforted. 

To mourn is to weep and lament because we have trouble. It 
is hard to bear trouble, yet if we are troubled on account of 
our sins, God is pleased with us and he will take our trouble 
away. 

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 

To be meek is to be patient, and not to get angry when others 
insult us, and try to do us harm. When Jesus was on earth, 
wicked men did so to him, but he bore it meekly and patiently. 
And those who follow his example shall inherit, or have for 
their own, the happiest earthly lot. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, 
for they shall be satisfied, or filled. 

We hunger and thirst after righteousness when we are as anx¬ 
ious to do right, and to please God, as we are to get food when 
we are hungry, and water when we are thirsty. If we desire to 
do right as much as this, God will help us do it, and we shall 
be satisfied in pleasing him. 

Blessed are those who are merciful to others, for they shall 
have mercy shown to them. 

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 

Blessed are the peacemakers (that is, those who will not quar¬ 
rel themselves and who try to keep others from anger and strife), 
for they shall be called the children of God. 

Jesus told his disciples that when they were treated cruelly, 
and persecuted, for his sake, they should not be sorry, but glad, 
for great would be their reward in heaven. And they were not 
the only ones, he said, who had been treated so. Even the 
prophets, those holy men whom God sent in the old times, 
were treated in the same way. 

And he said to his disciples that they must let their light 
shine; he meant they must not be afraid to let others know that 
they loved and obeyed God. Instead of hiding this they must 
let others see it. Then, perhaps by their example, they might be 
led to love and obey God also. For Jesus said that if we do 
the things that God commands, and teach others to do them, we 


532 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. But if, like the 
Scribes and Pharisees, we only teach those things without doing 
them, we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

And he said to the people, Your teachers have told you that 
if you should kill another person, you would be in danger of 



THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 


being punished. But I tell you that if you are even angry 
with another, who has done you no harm, you will be in dan¬ 
ger of punishment. 

Then he told his disciples that when they were going up to the 
temple to worship God, they must try and remember whether they 
had done wrong to any other person; whether they had taken 
anything that belonged to him, or had said what was not true 
about him, or in any other way had done him harm. And if they 













THE GOSPELS. 


533 


had, they must go and do what was right to that person. For 
God would not accept, or care for, their worship while there was 
some sin in their hearts that they had not repented of. 

We must be pure and good, Jesus says, in all we do and say, 
and must not even think an impure or bad thought. And if 
the thought that is impure offends God, how greatly will the 
impure word, or act, displease him! 

When others are unkind to us, and do us harm, we must not 
do harm to them again. Instead of this we must do good to 
them, and pray for them, and love them; then, Jesus says, we 
will be the children of our Father in heaven. For he is kind 
even to those who do not obey him or love him. And we must 
try to be like him, perfect in all things. 

And Jesus commanded his disciples to be careful, lest when 
they did what was right, they should do it only for other per¬ 
sons to see them and praise them. For this was not the reason 
why they should do right, because they wanted to be praised. 
They should do it because they wanted to please God. When 
they gave anything to the poor, they must not go about telling 
it; when they prayed to God, they must not choose a place 
where others could see them, but must go into their chamber 
and shut the door, so that no one but God could see them. 
Then God would answer their prayers. 

And when they should fast, they must not look sad, as the 
hypocrites did, on purpose to let others know they were fasting; 
but they must look as cheerful then as at other times, so that 
no one but their heavenly Father would know it; then their 
heavenly Father would reward them. 

And Jesus said that we must not want to be rich, and to lay 
up a great deal of money in this world, but must lay up riches 
in heaven. He did not mean that we could lay up money in 
heaven. We shall not want any money there. Jesus' meant 
that we should be trying all the time to live so that at last we 
shall get to heaven. For in heaven we shall have more things to 
make us happy than all the money in the world could buy. 

Then he said to the people, You cannot obey God and Satan, 
too. We cannot do this, because if we obey God we will do right, 


534 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


but if we obey Satan we will do wrong. Therefore, we cannot 
obey both; and we must choose which one to obey. 

And he told his disciples not to judge other persons; he meant 
that we should be careful how we find fault with others, and blame 
them. For perhaps they never did the thing that we blame them 
for; or even if they did it, did not mean any harm. We can¬ 
not see their hearts and tell how they felt while they were 
doing it; only God can tell that, and perhaps he does not 
blame them. And how often we ourselves do the very things 
we blame others for doing. Jesus said we should first stop 
doing wrong ourselves, and then we would be able to tell 
others of their faults. 

And he told the people who were listening to him, and he tells 
you and me, that whatever we want other persons to do to us, 
we must do to them. If we want them to treat us kindly and 
justly, we must treat them kindly and justly too. 

And he said, Strive earnestly to go in at the strait, or nar¬ 
row gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that lead- 
eth to destruction. He meant that the good and the bad ways 
are like two gates in our path, for us to choose which one we 
will go through. The good way is like a small and narrow 
gate, that we cannot see till we look carefully after it. The bad 
way is like a wide gate that stands open directly before us. 
This wide gate leads down to hell, and many go in there. The 
narrow gate leads up to heaven and there are few who find it. 

Not every one, Jesus said, who called him Lord, or Master, 
would be taken up to heaven, but only those who obeyed his 
Father in heaven. Many persons who had not done this, would 
come to him at the Judgment day, and would call him Lord, 
Lord, and would say they had worked for him, and had taught 
other persons about him. But he would tell them they had 
never truly been his disciples. And he would send them away, 
with all those who had been wicked. 

Then he spoke about two men, who, each of them, built a 
house. One chose a rock to build his upon. When it was 
done there came a great storm, and beat against it. But the 
rain could not move the rock, nor the wind blow it away, there- 


THE GOSPELS. 


535 


fore his house stood firm, and the storm did it no harm. The 
other man built his house in a place where there was nothing 
but sand. And the storm came 
against it also. And the rain 
washed the sand away from 
underneath it, and the wind 
blew against it, and it fell and 
was destroyed. 

Then Jesus said that all those 



THE HOUSE ON THE SAND. 


persons who listened to 
his teaching, and did 
w T hat he taught them, 
were like the wise man 
who built his house upon 
the rock. But those who listened to his teaching and would not 
do as he taught them, were like the foolish man who built his 
house upon the sand. He meant that those who obeyed what he 
taught them, would be saved, but those who disobeyed him would 
be lost. For the two men who built the houses meant the right¬ 
eous and the wicked; and the storm meant the Judgment day. 




536 


THE STOR Y OF THE BIBLE. 


MATT. VIII.-XIII., MARK IV., V., LUKE VII., VI1I.-XII. 

A. D. 31-33. 


JESUS HEALS THE CENTURION’S SERVANT; RAISES THE WIDOW’S SON; IS 
ANOINTED; IS MINISTERED TO; SPEAKS THE PARABLE OF THE RICH 

fool; tells his disciples not to fear want; the parables 

OF THE SOWER, THE TARES, THE MUSTARD SEED, THE PEARL, AND 
THE FISHERMEN. HE STILLS THE STORM, AND HEALS THE DEMONIAC. 


T HERE was at Capernaum, a centurion, or captain in the 
Roman army; he had a servant whom he loved, and who 
was sick and about to die. When the centurion heard that 
Jesus was there, he sent some of the elders of the Jews who 

were his friends, to ask him to come and heal his servant. 

And the elders came and begged Jesus earnestly, saying, 
Although this centurion is not a Jew, but a Roman, yet he 

loves the Jews and has been kind to us; for with his own 

money he has built us a synagogue. 

Then Jesus went with them toward the centurion’s house. 
But before he came there, the centurion sent some more of his 
friends with a message to Jesus: the message was this, That the 
centurion had not come himself to speak with Jesus, because he 
thought he was not good enough. And now he sent word that he 
did not think himself good enough for Jesus even to come into his 
house. But if Jesus would only say that his servant should get 
well, without coming, the centurion was sure that he would get 
well. For I have soldiers under me, the centurion said, and I 
say to one, Go; and he goes where I tell him. To another I 
say, Come; and he comes. So, I know, that the disease which 
my servant has will obey thee and go out of him, if thou wilt 
command it to go. 

When Jesus heard these words he was astonished, and said to 
those who were with him, I have not found any one, even among 
the children of Israel, who has so much faith in me as this Ro¬ 
man has. And I tell you that at the last day, many of the peo¬ 
ple of other nations who have believed in me, shall be taken up 
into heaven, while the children of Israel, because they will not 
believe, shall be shut out. And when the centurion’s friends re¬ 
turned to his house, they found the servant made welL 


THE GOSPELS. 


537 


The next day Jesus went into a city called Nam. As he came 
near to the gate of the city, the people were carrying out a dead 
man to bury him. He was the only son of his mother, and she 
was a widow, and many of her friends were with her. When 
Jesus saw her, he pitied her, and said, Weep not. And he came 
and touched the bier on which the body lay, and those who car¬ 
ried it stood still. Then Jesus said, Young man, I say unto 
thee, arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak, 



JESUS RAISES THE WIDOW’S SON. 


and Jesus gave him to his mother. And all who saw it were 
afraid, and they praised God, and said that he had sent a great 
prophet among them. 

We have read that the people in eastern countries wore sandals 
instead of shoes. These they took off when they came into the 
house, and a servant brought water for them to wash their feet. 
The people of those countries also used oil, or ointment, to put 
upon their heads and their beards, and sometimes over their whole 
bodies. This was called anointing. They did it because it made 
the skin smooth and soft, and they thought, kept away disease: 





















538 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



and because the smell of the ointment was sweet and pleasant. 
Men considered it a kindness to have their heads anointed by 
the person at whose house they were visiting. 

And a Pharisee, named Simon, asked Jesus to his house. Je¬ 
sus went there, and sat down with him to eat. And a woman 
who lived in the city, and who had been a sinner, when she 
heard that Jesus was there, came with an alabaster box of 
ointment and bowed down at his feet. And because she was 
sorry for her sins, and wanted to be forgiven, she wept and 
washed the feet of Jesus with her tears, and wiped them with 


A WOMAN ANOINTS THE FEET OF JESUS. 

the hairs of her head; and she kissed his feet and anointed them 
with the ointment. 

Now the Pharisee knew that the woman was a sinner, and he 
said to himself, If this man had come from God, he would know 
what sort of a woman this is, and would send her away: for the 
Pharisees thought themselves too holy to let sinners touch them. 
But Jesus knew what was in his heart, and he said to him, Si- 













THE GOSPELS. 


539 


mon, I have something to say to thee. He answered, Master, 
say on. Then Jesus said, Two men owed another man money ; 
one owed him a great deal, and the other owed him a little. But 
as neither of them had any thing to pay with, he freely forgave 
them both. Tell me now, which of them will love him the 
most? Simon answered, I suppose the one whom he forgave 
most. Jesus said, Thou hast answered rightly. And he turned 
to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman ? I 
came into thy house, and thou gavest me no water to wash my 
feet; but she has washed my feet with tears, and wiped them 
with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss, but this 
woman, since I came in has not ceased to kiss my feet. My head 
with oil thou didst not anoint, but she has anointed my feet 
with ointment. Therefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are 
many, are forgiven ; for she loved me much, but those who have 
little forgiven love but little. And Jesus said to the woman, Thy 
sins are forgiven thee, go to thy home in peace. 

After this Jesus went through every city and village preach¬ 
ing the gospel to the people; and the twelve apostles were with 
him. And he was poor, for though he might have been rich, 
(for every thing in the world was his), yet he chose to be poor 
and to suffer for our sakes, to save us from being punished for 
our sins. And because he was poor, some of the women whom 
he had healed of sickness, and out of whom he had cast evil 
spirits, gave to him such things as he needed. One of them was 
named Mary Magdalene, another Joanna, and another Susanna ; 
beside these there were many others. 

And he spoke a parable to the people. A parable is a story 
which has a meaning to it, and which helps us to understand 
and remember something we are learning. Jesus told the peo¬ 
ple this parable that they might know how foolish and wicked 
it was for them to put their trust in riches. He said, There 
w T as a rich man who had fields and vineyards. When harvest¬ 
time came, and he gathered in his fruits, there were so many 
that his barns would not hold them. Then he said to himself, 
What shall I do? for I have no room where I can put my 
fruits. And he answered, This will I do. I will pull down 


540 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 




my barns and build larger ones, and there I will put away all 
my fruits and my goods. Then I will say to myself, Now I 


THE RICH MAN CANNOT FIND ROOM FOR HIS FRUITS. 

can eat and drink and be merry, for I have enough riches 
laid up to last me for many years. 

But when the rich man had spoken these words, God said to 


HE BUILDS LARGER BARNS. 

him, Thou foolish man, this night thou must die. Who then 
shall have those things which thou hast laid up for many 
years ? So, Jesus said, it will be with all those persons who 


























































































THE GOSPELS. 


541 



care only to lay up riches for themselves in this world, but do 
not care to please God. Death will come when they are not 
expecting it, and then they will have to leave their riches for 
others, and go away themselves to a world where nothing has 
been laid up for them. 

And Jesus told his disciples not to be afraid because they 
were poor, lest they might want food to eat, and clothes to wear, 


HE COUNTS OVER HIS RICHES. HE HIES. 

Think of the birds, he said ; they do not sow seed in the fields, 
nor reap grain and carry it to the barn to lay it up there, yet 
they always have enough to eat, because God feeds them. And 
God cares more for you than he does for the birds. And look 
at the flowers, how they grow. They do not work like men to 
make raiment for themselves, and yet they are more beautifully 
clothed and have brighter colors upon them, than Solomon when 
he was king over Israel. If then, God gives such beautiful 
clothing to the flowers, which are of so little value that one day 
they are growing up in the field, and the next are cut down and 
burned, he will be more careful to clothe you, though now you 
are afraid to trust in him. Therefore do not be anxious lest 
you may want things to eat, and to drink, and to wear, for 













542 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


your heavenly Father knows that you need these things. But 
seek first to obey him and be his children, and then he will 
give all these things to you. 

While Jesus walked by the seaside, great multitudes came to 
him, so that he went into a boat and sat down to teach them, 
and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spoke a 
parable, saying, A farmer went out in the field to sow his seed, 
and he scattered it by handfuls over the ground. Some of the 
seed fell upon the hard, beaten path that ran along by the edge 
of the field, and the birds flew down and ate it. Some fell 
upon stony places, where there was only a little earth. There 
it quickly grew up above the ground; but because there was 
not earth enough to make larger roots, in a few days it withered 
away. And some fell along the side of the field where briars 
and weeds were growing; and the briars grew up and choked 
it. But the rest of the seed fell upon good ground that had 
been ploughed and made ready to receive it. And the rain 
fell on it and watered it there, and the sun shone upon it, and 
it sprang up and bore grain, a hundred times as much as the 
farmer had planted. 

When Jesus was alone, his disciples came and asked him to 
explain this parable to them. He answered, that the seed meant 
the words which he preached. Some of the people who heard 
those words did not understand what he said, nor care to remem¬ 
ber them. Then Satan came and made them think of other 
things, and took his words out of their hearts as quickly as the 
birds ate up the seed that fell on the pathway. And some who 
heard him, remembered his words and tried for a little while to 
obey them. But it was only for a little while. As soon as they 
had trouble, or were blamed by others for doing it, they ceased 
trying and forgot them. This was the seed that fell on the stony 
ground, and that sprang up at first, but in a few days withered 
away. And some heard Jesus preach, and were glad to hear what 
he said, but afterward they went away and paid more attention 
to their houses, their riches, and their pleasures, than they did 
to the things he had taught them. This was the seed that fell 
among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But there 



AN ENEMY SOWS TAKES 


























544 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


were some who listened to all that he taught, and remembered it 
in their hearts, and tried every day to do as he told them. This 
was the good seed that took root and grew, and bore a hundred 
times as much as the farmer had planted. 

And Jesus spoke another parable about a man who sowed seed 
in his field. But while his servants were asleep, an enemy came 
and sowed tares, or weeds, among the wheat, and then went 
away so that the servants knew nothing of it. When the time 
had come for the wheat to grow up, the servants went out in the 
field to look at it, and there they saw tares growing among the 
wheat. Then they came back to the owner of the field and said 
to him, Was it not good seed that was sowed in thy field ? Why 
then are tares growing among the wheat? He answered, An 
enemy has done this. Then the servants asked, Shall we not 
go and pull up the tares? He said, No, lest while you pull up 
the tares, you root up the wheat also with them. Let both grow 
together until harvest; and then I will say to my reapers, Gather 
together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, 
but gather the wheat into my barn. 

And Jesus explained this parable also to his disciples. The 
field, he said, meant the world, the owner of the field meant 
Jesus himself; the good seed meant the words that he preached; 
the wheat that grew up, meant the persons who listened to those 
words and obeyed them. The enemy that sowed the bad seed 
meant Satan; and the tares in the field meant wicked men. 
As the owner of the field allowed the wheat and the tares to 
grow together until the harvest, so Jesus will allow good and 
bad men to live together in the world until the Judgment day. 
Then he will send forth his angels to gather up the good 
and take them to heaven, but the bad will be cast into a 
furnace of fire. 

And Jesus spoke a parable about the mustard seed, which is 
among the smallest of seeds; yet when a man takes it, and 
plants it in the ground, it grows to be the largest of herbs, and the 
birds come and lodge in its branches. So it is with our love to 
God. At first it seems very small. But if we are truly his 
children, it will go on growing stronger and greater, until we 


THE GOSPELS. 


545 


love him more than we love any one else, and try harder in all 
that we do, to please him. 

And Jesus told the people about a merchantman who yras 
looking for pearls to buy. He went to every person who had 



THE REAPERS BURN THE TARES. 


any to sell, hoping to find some that would suit him. At last he 
found one that was larger and more beautiful than any he had 
ever seen before. But its price was so great that he had not the 
money to buy it. Therefore, he went away and sold everything 
35 












THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


m 

he had, so that he might come back and buy that one precious 
pearl. And this is the way persons feel who want their sins 
forgiven. They cannot be happy till it is done, and they are 
willing to give up every sinful pleasure, and everything that 
offends God, so that they may come to him and ask him to for¬ 
give their sins for them. 

Then Jesus spoke of the fishermen with their net. They carry 
it out in their boat on the sea, and cast it into the water, and 
afterward drag it slowly to the shore. When they come there, 
and draw it up out of the water again, they find a great number 
of fishes in it. But the fishes are of many different kinds. Some 
are good: these they gather into baskets to keep; and some are 
bad: these they throw away. So Jesus said to his disciples, it 
would be at the end of the world. For, he told them again, the 
angels would then come forth and separate the righteous from 
the wicked, and would cast the wicked into a furnace of fire 
where they would weep and cry out with pain. 

And there came to Jesus a Scribe, or teacher of the law of 
Moses, who said to him, Master, I want to stay with thee and go 
with thee wherever thou goest. Jesus answered him, saying, 
The foxes have holes in the ground and the birds have nests, but 
I have not where to lay my head. Jesus meant that he was 
poorer even than the foxes and the birds. For they had homes 
of their own in which they might stay, but he had no place 
where he might go when he was weary, and lie down to rest. 

In the evening, after he had spoken these things, both Jesus and 
his disciples went into a boat to sail over to the other side of the 
sea of Galilee. As they were going, a great storm arose, and the 
waves dashed into the boat and filled it with water, so that it 
was ready to sink. But Jesus was asleep in the hinder part of 
the boat, with his head on a pillow. And his disciples came and 
awakened him, saying, Lord, save us, or we shall perish. Jesus 
rose up, and spoke to the winds and the sea, and said to them, 
Peace, be still. And the wind ceased to blow, and the sea was 
still and calm. Then he said to his disciples, Why were you 
afraid ? How is it that you have so little faith ? 

And they sailed over to the other side of the sea. When 


THE GOSPELS. 


547 



Jesus was come out of the boat, there met him a man who had 
an evil spirit. He had torn off his clothes and was very fierce, 
so that no one could pass by that way. His friends had often 
bound him with chains, to keep him at home ; but he broke the 
chains, and went and lived in the caves that had been hollowed 


out of the sides of mountains, for tombs. And always, night and 
day, he was wandering in the tombs and mountains, crying out 
and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus a good 
way off, he ran to him and fell down at his feet and worshipped 
him, saying, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of 
God ? I beseech thee, punish me not. 

Now there was near the mountains a herd of swine feeding, 








548 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


and the evil spirits that were in the man (for more than one had 
gone into him), begged Jesus, that if he commanded them to 
come out, he would let them go into the swine. Jesus said to 
them, Go. And when they had come out of the man, they went 
into the herd of swine; and the whole herd (there were about 
two thousand of them), ran swiftly down a steep place into the 
sea, and were drowned in the waters. And the men who took 
care of them, fled into the city and told what they had seen. 
Then all the people came out to meet Jesus. And they saw 
the man who before had evil spirits, sitting down, quiet and 
clothed, and in his right mind. But they were afraid, and 
asked Jesus to go away from their country. 

And when he was come into the boat to leave that place, the 
man out of whom he had cast the evil spirits, begged that he 
might go w T ith him. But Jesus said to him, Go home to 
thy friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has 
done for thee. Then the man went, and began to tell all 
the people how he had been made well. 


MATT. IX.-XIV. MARK V, YI. LUKE VIII., IX. 

JOHN VI. 

A. D. 31, 32. 

JESUS HEALS THE WOMAN WHO TOUCHES HIS GARMENT, RAISES THE 
RULER’S DAUGHTER, HEALS TWO BLIND MEN AND A DUMB MAN, 
SENDS OUT HIS APOSTLES TO PREACH THE GOSPEL, FEEDS THE FIVE 
THOUSAND, WALKS ON THE WATER, AND HEALS THE SICK. 

J ESUS went into Capernaum. And one of the rulers of the 
synagogue came to him, and kneeling down at his feet, 
begged him earnestly, saying, My little daughter is sick and 
ready to die: I pray thee come and lay thy hands on her, that 
she may live. Jesus went with him, and so did his disciples. 
And many people followed after him and crowded around 
him. Among them was a woman who had suffered for twelve 
years from a disease which no physician could cure; for she 
had asked many and given them all the money she had, yet 
she was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard 
that Jesus was there, she said to herself, If I can but touch 



THE GOSPELS. 


549 


his garment, I shall be made well. So she came in the crowd 
behind him, and touched him ; and as soon as she had done it 
she felt that her sickness was cured. 

Then Jesus, turning toward the people that followed him, said, 
Who touched me ? His disciples answered, Thou seest the mul¬ 
titude pressing against thee, and askest thou, Who touched me? 
But he looked around to see her who had done this thing. When 
the woman saw that he knew it and that she could not be hid, 
she came trembling, and falling down at his feet, told before all 
the people, why she had touched him and how in a moment she 
was made well. Jesus said to her, Daughter, be not afraid; 
because thou hadst faith in me, thou art healed. 

While he yet spoke to the woman, there came to the ruler 
of the synagogue a messenger, saying, Thy daughter is dead; 
therefore trouble not the Master any further. But Jesus said to 
him, Fear not; only have faith, and she shall live. When they 
came to the ruler’s house, Jesus saw the people weeping and 
wailing greatly. He said to them, Why do you weep ? the child 
is not dead, but sleeping. He meant that she should soon rise 
up from the dead like one who waked out of sleep. But they 
would not believe him, and laughed him to scorn. Then Jesus 
put them all out, and took three of his apostles—Peter, James, 
and John—and the father and the mother of the child, and went 
into the room where she lay. And he took her by the hand, and 
said, I say to thee, arise. And the child, who was twelve years 
of age, arose and walked. And those who saw it wondered; and 
he commanded that food should be given her. 

As Jesus went away from the ruler’s house, two blind men 
followed him, and cried after him, saying, Thou son of David, 
have mercy on us. They called him this because he was de¬ 
scended from king David. Jesus said to them, Do you believe 
that I am able to make you well? They answered, Yes, Lord. 
Then he touched their eyes, and immediately they could see. 
Jesus said to them, Tell no man what I have done to you. 
But, when they left him, they told the people through all that 
country how he had healed them. 

And they brought to him a dumb man who could not speak, 


550 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


because an evil spirit had entered into him. And, Jesus cast 
out the evil spirit, and the man spoke. And all the people won¬ 
dered, and said, We have never seen such things done before in 
the land of Israel. But the Pharisees hated Jesus, and told the 
people that he was able to cast out devils because Satan, the 
prince of the devils, helped him. 

Jesus came again to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, 
and he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and taught 



JESUS RAISES THE RULER’S DAUGHTER. 


the people. And they were astonished at his words, and said, 
Where did this man get such great wisdom, and power to do such 
wonderful works? Is he not the son of Joseph, the carpenter? 
Is not his mother named Mary, and are not his brethren and his 
sisters here with us ? And they would not believe on him; and 











































































































THE GOSPELS. 


551 


because they would not, he did no miracles there, except that he 
put his hands on a few sick persons and healed them. 

And he called his twelve apostles to him that he might send 
them out, through all the land, to preach the gospel. Yet he 
told them not to go into the cities where the Samaritans, or the 
Gentiles, lived, but to go only among the children of Israel. He 
told them this because the children of Israel were God’s chosen 
people, and the gospel was to be preached to them first. 

And before the apostles went, Jesus gave them power to do 
miracles, so that all who should see them do those wonderful 
works might believe the gospel that they preached. He said to 
them, Wherever you shall go among the people, heal their sick, 
make their lepers well, raise their dead; and tell them that 
Christ has come to save all who believe on him. But do not 
expect them to treat you kindly for doing these things; as they 
have treated me so they will treat you. They will take you 
before their courts to try you, and scourge you, because you 
preach to them about me. Yet do not fear them, they are able 
only to kill your bodies; rather fear God who is able to destroy 
both soul and body in hell. 

And Jesus told the apostles not to take any money, or food, 
with them for their journey; for all they should need would 
be given them, because they were working for him. He said, 
You know that two sparrows are sold for a farthing; they 
are worth so little that men care nothing for them. Yet God 
cares for them; he feeds them, and not one of them ever dies 
without his knowing it. Fear not then that he will forget you, 
for you are of more value than many sparrows. He remembers 
the smallest thing about you, and knows even the number of 
the hairs upon your head. And he will remember also those 
who are kind to you, for when any one shall be kind to you, it 
will be the same as if he were kind to me; and whoever gives 
you a cup of cold water only, because you are my disciples, 
shall be rewarded for doing it. 

When Jesus had done commanding his twelve apostles, they 
went out through the cities and towns, preaching to the people 
and healing those who were sick. Afterward they came back to 



JESUS FEEDS THE MULTITUDE. 

people heard of it, they followed them on foot, walking around 
by the side of the sea and coming where Jesus was. 

In the evening his apostles came to him, saying, This is a 
desert place where there is nothing to eat, and the day is now 
passed: send the people away that they may go into the vil¬ 
lages and buy themselves food. Jesus said, They need not go 
away, give you them something to eat. The apostles answered. 
Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and 


552 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


him, and told him of all they had done. And he said to them, 
Come, let us go to some place apart, where you may rest awhile; 
for there were so many coming and going, they had no time 
even to eat. Then they went into a boat, and sailed to the other 
side of the sea of Galilee that they might be alone. But when the 











THE GOSPELS. 


553 


give them to eat? and even this would not be enough for 
each one of them to take a little. He said to them, How many 
loaves have you? Go, and see. When they knew, they an¬ 
swered, Five, and two small fishes. 



JESUS SAVES PETER FROM SINKING. 


And he commanded his apostles to make all the people sit 
down in companies on the green grass. And Jesus took the 
five loaves and the two fishes, and looked up to heaven and 
thanked God for them. Then he broke the loaves in pieces, and 
gave them to the apostles; the fishes also he divided among 
them. And the apostles gave them to the multitude. And 
Jesus made those few loaves and fishes to increase, as they were 
given to the people, so that there was enough for them all. 
When they had eaten, he said, Gather up what is left, that 
nothing be lost. And they gathered up of the pieces that were 
left, twelve baskets full. Those that had eaten were about 
five thousand men, beside women and children. 

The people, when they saw this great miracle which Jesus 
did, wanted to make him their king, but he left them and went 
up on a mountain alone to pray. The apostles he sent away in 
a boat to go across the sea toward Capernaum. And in the 







554 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


evening they were out on the middle of the sea, rowing, for the 
wind was against them, but Jesus jy^as alone on the shore. 
From there he could see them toiling in rowing, for the waves 
were rough and stormy. And in the night he went out to them, 
walking on the sea. When they saw him, they were afraid, and 
said, It is a spirit: and they cried out with fear. But Jesus 
spoke to them, saying, Be not afraid, It is I. 

Then Peter answered out of the boat, and said, Lord, if it 
be thou, bid me come to thee on the water. Jesus said to him, 
Come. And Peter came down out of the boat, and walked 
on the water to go to Jesus. But when he heard the noise of 
the wind and saw the great waves dashing around him, he was 
afraid, and began to sink, and he cried, Lord, save me. And 
immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, and caught him, 
and said to him, O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt ? 
When Jesus and Peter had come into the boat, the wind was 

still; and in a mo¬ 
ment the boat was 
at the land where 
the apostles want¬ 
ed to be. Then 
they worshipped 
him, saying, Truly ? 
thou art the Son 
of God. 

As soon as they 
were come on the 
shore, the people 
jesus heals the sick. knew him, and ran 

through all that country, and began to carry about in beds 
those that were sick, to the place where they heard he was. 
And wherever he went into villages, or cities, they laid the 
sick in the streets, and begged that they might touch, if it 
were only his garment; and as many as touched him were 
made perfectly well. 








THE GOSPELS. 


555 


MATT. XV.-XVIII. MARK YII.-IX. LUKE IX.- 
XVII. JOHN VI. 

A. D. 32, 33. 

JESUS TEACHES THE PEOPLE; CASTS OUT AN EVIL SPIRIT; HEALS THE 
DEAF, THE BLIND, AND THE DUMB; FEEDS THE MULTITUDE; FORE¬ 
TELLS HIS death; is transfigured; provides money in the 
fish’s mouth, parable of the UNFORGIVING SERVANT. JAMES 
AND JOHN WOULD DESTROY THE SAMARITANS. TEN LEPERS HEALED. 

J ESUS came again to Capernaum, and went into the syna¬ 
gogue and taught the Jews. And they asked him, saying, 
What shall we do to please God ? He answered, Believe that I 
am the Saviour whom God was to send into the world. But the 
Jews had expected the Saviour when he should come, to be a 
great soldier who would set them free from the Romans and 
make them into a kingdom, and rule over them like the kings 
of other nations. Therefore when Jesus came as a poor man, 
telling them to repent of their sins and obey God’s command¬ 
ments ; and promising to reward them, not in this world but 
in heaven, they were displeased with him, and refused to be¬ 
lieve that he was the Saviour. 

Then he said to the twelve apostles, Will you also go away, 
and leave me ? Peter answered him, Lord, if we leave thee, to 
whom shall we go to be saved ? Jesus answered, I have chosen 
you twelve to be my apostles, and one of you is my enemy. He 
meant Judas Iscariot, who he knew was going to betray, and sell 
him, to the chief priests and elders of the Jews, that they might 
put him to death. The chief priests were the chief, or principal, 
ones, in the different courses of priests that served by turns at 
the temple. There were twenty-four chief priests. Like the 
Scribes and Pharisees, they hated the Saviour, and did all they 
could to keep the people from believing on him. 

Jesus went out of the land of Israel and came near the 
cities of Tyre and Sidon. The people of those cities were not 
Jews, but Gentiles. Yet a woman who lived there, when she 
heard that Jesus had come, went to him and begged him to cast 
an evil spirit out of her daughter. At first he turned away as 


556 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


if unwilling to hear her, because she was not a Jew; but he did 
this only to try whether she truly believed in him. Then she 
prayed the more earnestly, and fell at his feet and worshipped 
him, saying, Lord, help me. Jesus answered and said to her, 
Because thou hast faith in me, thy daughter is made well. And 
when she came to her house she found the evil spirit gone out, 
and her daughter laid upon the bed. 

Jesus came again into the land of Israel, by the sea of Galilee. 
And the people brought to him a man that was deaf, and could 
hardly speak, and they asked him to lay his hands on the man 
that he might be healed. Then Jesus took him aside from the 
multitude and put his fingers into the deaf man’s ears, and spit 
and touched his tongue, and looking up to heaven, said, Be 
opened. And immediately the man was made well, so that he 
could both hear and speak. 

And many persons came to him, bringing those who were 
lame, and blind, and dumb, and laid them down at his feet that 
he might heal them. And Jesus healed them all, so that the 
people w T ondered when they saw the lame to walk, the dumb to 
speak, and the blind to see. And they thanked God for what 
had been done to them. 

And the multitude being very great, Jesus fed them again 
with only a few loaves and fishes, for they had been with him 
three days, and had nothing to eat. He said to his disciples, If 
I send them away to their homes without food, they will grow 
weary and faint by the way, for many of them have come from 
far. And he asked, How many loaves have you ? His disciples 
answered, Seven, and a few little fishes. Then he commanded 
the people to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven 
loaves and the fishes, and thanked God for them, and gave them 
to his disciples to give to the people. And they all ate and had 
enough. Afterward they took up of the pieces that w T ere left 
seven baskets full. Those that had eaten were about four thou¬ 
sand persons; and Jesus sent them away. 

And he came to the city of Bethsaida, and they brought a 
blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. And he took him 
by the hand and led him out of the town; and when he had spit 


THE GOSPELS. 


557 


on his eyes and put his hands on him, he asked if he could 
see. The blind man answered, I see men, yet they do not look 
like men but like trees walking. Then Jesus put his hands 
again on the man’s eyes, and made him look up, and he saw 
everything clearly, 

As Jesus came with his apostles toward the city of Cesarea, he 
asked them, Who do the people say that lam? They answered, 
Some say that thou art John the Baptist risen from the dead, 
some that thou art the prophet Elijah, and others the prophet 
Jeremiah, come back to the earth again. Then Jesus asked, 
But who do you say that I am ? Peter answered, Thou art the 
Christ, the Son of God. Peter meant to tell Jesus that the apos¬ 
tles believed him to be the Saviour whom God had promised to 
send into the world. 

We have read that the Jews expected this Saviour when he 
should come, to set them free from the Romans and make them 
into a kingdom, and to reign over them like other earthly kings. 
And even the apostles who were with Jesus all the time, and be¬ 
lieved that he was the Saviour, thought he was going to set up an 
earthly kingdom. For although they saw he was now a poor man, 
they did not think he would stay so, but expected he would soon 
become rich and great and would make them great too. Like 
the rest of the Jews, they had not yet learned that he had come 
to rule only in their hearts, and to have his kingdom there; and 
that instead of fighting battles for them and ruling over them as 
a king, he was going to die on the cross for their sins. 

But from this time he began to tell them what was really 
going to happen to him; that he must go to Jerusalem and 
there be cruelly treated by the chief priests, the scribes and 
the elders of the Jews; and that he would be killed by them, but 
would rise from the dead on the third day. When Peter heard 
this he was surprised, and said, No, these things shall not hap¬ 
pen to thee. Yet it was to suffer these things that Jesus had 
come into the world, and when Peter said they should not hap¬ 
pen to him, it seemed as if he wanted Jesus to live, and set up 
an earthly kingdom, rather than die to save the people from 
their sins. Therefore Jesus was much displeased with Peter, 


558 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


and called him his enemy, because Peter did not want him to 
do the things that would please God, but the things that would 
please Peter himself. 

Then Jesus said that if any man wanted to be his disciple, he 
must not seek his own pleasure, but must take up his cross every 
day and follow him. Jesus meant that his disciples must follow 
his example and do what is right, no matter how hard and pain¬ 
ful it may be. For, he asked, what good would it do any one 
to have all that he wanted in this world, or even to have every¬ 
thing in the world for his own, as long as he lived; if, after he 
died, he should lose his own soul. 

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, three of 
his apostles, and went up on a high mountain to pray. And 
while he prayed, his face was changed, so that it shone bright 
like the sun, and his raiment glistened, and was white as snow. 
And suddenly two men were with him. They were Moses and 
Elijah, who had come back to this world to talk with him about 
his being crucified at Jerusalem. The Bible says they appeared 
in glory; this means, we suppose, that they looked beautiful and 
glorious as they may look in heaven. 

The apostles knew that it was Moses and Elijah, and they 
wanted to stay there on the mount with them, and not go down 
any more. Peter said, Master, it is good for us to be here ; if 
thou art willing, let us make three tents, one for thee, one for 
Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was speaking, there came 
a bright cloud and covered them, and God’s voice spoke out of 
the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, hear him. When 
the apostles heard it, they bowed down with their faces to the 
ground, and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched 
them, and said, Arise, be not afraid. And when they had risen 
up and looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone and they 
saw no one except Jesus. Jesus said to them, Tell no man 
of the things you have seen, until I be risen from the dead. 
But they did not understand him when he spoke of rising 
from the dead, and they asked one another what that say* 
ing could mean. 

The next day when they had come down from the mountain, 


THE GOSPELS. 


559 


many people were waiting to see Jesus. And there came a man 
kneeling to him, and saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon 
my son ; for he is my only child, and an evil spirit has gone into 
him, that often makes him fall into the fire and into the water, 
to destroy him. And I took him to thy disciples, that they 
might heal him, but they could not. Jesus answered, Bring him 
to me. As they brought him, the spirit threw him down, and he 
rolled on the ground and foamed at the mouth. Jesus asked his 



THE TRANSFIGURATION. 


father, saying, How long ago did this come upon him? He an¬ 
swered, When he was a child. And Jesus said to the evil spirit, 
I command thee to come out of him, and go no more into him. 
Then the spirit, crying with a loud voice, shook the young man 
greatly and came out of him, but left him weak, like one dead, 
so that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand 
and lifted him up, and he stood upon his feet and was well. 

And they went into Capernaum. Now the Jews who lived in 





























560 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the different cities of the land used to send money to the priests 
at the temple, to buy sacrifices with. And the men who took 
this money in the city of Capernaum, came to Peter and 
asked whether his Master would give them any. Jesus knew 
what the men had asked, and when Peter came into the room 
where he was, Jesus said to him, Go thou to the sea of Galilee, 
and cast a hook into the water, and take up the fish that is 
first caught, and when thou hast opened its mouth thou shalt 
find there a piece of money. Give that to the men for me and 
for thee. And Peter did as Jesus commanded, and found the 
piece of money, and gave it to the jnen. 

Now, although Jesus had told the apostles plainly, what was 
going to happen to him, how he would be cruelly treated and 
put to death at Jerusalem, yet they had never understood him 
when he spoke of these things. They still expected, whatever 
he might have to suffer, that afterward he would set up an 
earthly kingdom and become very great, and that then they 
would become great also. 

And while they walked by the way, they began to dispute 
with one another as to which of them should be greatest. Jesus 
knew what they said, and when they came into the house, 
he asked them saying, What is it that you disputed among 
yourselves by the way ? But they were ashamed and did not 
answer him. Then he called a little child and set him in the 
midst of them, and told them that unless they should put 
away their pride, and their desire to rule over one another, 
they could not belong to the kingdom which he was going to 
set up. Whoever, therefore, he said, should be most humble 
and willing to obey like that little child, would be the great¬ 
est in his kingdom. 

And he said, If thy hand or thy foot cause thee to do wrong, 
cut them off, and cast them from thee; he meant, that if his 
disciples were committing any sin, which they loved so much 
that it seemed as hard to part with even as a hand or a foot, 
still they must cease committing it and put it away from them. 
For, he said, it would be better for them to part with that sin, 
and at the day of Judgment be taken up to heaven, than to 


THE GOSPELS. 


561 


keep on committing it, and be cast into hell, into the fire that 
never would go out. 

And Jesus told his disciples that whenever they should meet 
together in any place to worship him, though only two or three 
of them might be there, he would be with them; he meant that 
his Spirit would be with them. And he said that if one of them 
should sin against another, and afterward confess his fault, the 
one he had sinned against must forgive him. Peter asked how 
many times they should forgive, whether as often as seven times. 
Jesus answered that they should forgive one another not only 
seven times, but seventy times seven; he meant always. 

Then he spoke to them a parable. He said, There was a king 
w T ho wanted to take an account of the money that his servants 
owed him. And one was brought who owed him a very great 
sum, as much as ten thousand talents. But as he had nothing 
to pay with, the king commanded that he and his wife and his 
children should be sold as slaves, so that the money they were 
sold for might be paid to him for the debt. Then the servant 
fell down on his knees before the king, and prayed that he would 
have patience with him till he could earn the money, or get it 
from those who owed it to him, Then, he said, I will pay thee all. 
And the king, when he saw his distress, pitied him, and was kind 
to him, and forgave the debt altogether. 

But that same servant went out and found one of his fellow- 
servants who owed him only a hundred pence. And he came 
to him, and caught him by the throat and said, Pay me what 
thou owest. And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and 
begged him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee 
all. And he would not, but went and cast him into prison, to 
be kept there till he should pay. the debt. 

Therefore, the king’s other servants who saw what he had 
done, were very sorry, and they came and told the king. Then 
the king when he had called him, said to him, O thou wicked 
servant. I forgave thee all thy debt because thou didst ask me. 
Shouldst thou not, also, have pitied thy fellow-servant as I pitied 
thee ? And the king was greatly offended, and sent him to be 
punished till he should pay all that he owed him. 

30 


562 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



In this parable the king means God, and the servant who 
owed him ten thousand talents means us, because we have sin¬ 
ned so often against him. As the king punished that wicked 
servant because he would not forgive his fellow-servant, so, 

Jesus says, God will punish 
us, if we do not forgive one 
another our trespasses. 

As Jesus journeyed to¬ 
ward Jerusalem, he sent 
some of his disciples on 
before him, to make ready 
a place where he might 
stop and rest by the way. 
And they came to a vil¬ 
lage of the Samaritans, but 
the men of that village 
would not let Jesus stop 
there, because he was a 
Jew and was going toward 
Jerusalem. Then the apos¬ 
tles James and John were 
very angry, and asked him 
if they might not call down 
fire from heaven, to destroy 
those men, as the prophet 
Elijah had called down fire to burn up the captain, with his fifty 
men, whom the king of Israel sent to take him. But Jesus was 
displeased with James and John for asking this; he said to them, 
I did not come on the earth to destroy men’s lives, but to save 
them. And they went on to another village. 

As they went, there came ten men who were lepers, to meet 
Jesus. These men stayed with each other because they were 
all sick with the same dreadful disease, and were not allowed to 
come near persons who were well. Therefore, they did not 
come near Jesus and his disciples, but stood a good way off 
and cried out, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. Now, as 
we have read, Moses had commanded every leper who was healed. 


THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT. 









THE GOSPELS. 


563 


to go and show himself to the priest, that the priest might give 
him permission to live among the people again. When Jesus 
heard these poor men crying out, he said to them, Go, show 
yourselves to the priest. And as they went they were healed. 
And one of them when he saw that he was healed, turned 
back and with a loud voice, praised God, and came and knelt 
down at the feet of Jesus giving him thanks; the man was a 
Samaritan. Jesus said, Were there not ten cleansed? Where 
are the other nine? Only this Samaritan comes back to thank 
God for what has been done to him. 


LUKE X., XI. JOHN VII.-XI. 

A. D. 32, 33. 

JESUS TEACHES THE JEWS ; ANSW T ERS THE LAWYER’S QUESTION ; SPEAKS 
THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN ; VISITS BETHANY ; TEACHES 
THE LORD’S PRAYER; CHOOSES THE SEVENTY DISCIPLES; HEALS A 
BLIND MAN; SAYS HE IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD ; RAISES LAZARUS. 

J ESUS went up to the temple and the Jews came to him, and 
he sat down and taught them. He said to them, Yet for a 
little while I will be with you, and then I will go back to my 
Father who sent me. After I have gone you shall look for me 
but shall not find me, and where I go you cannot come. You 
will not believe that I am the Son of God, and therefore you 
shall die without having your sins forgiven. But if any man 
will believe on me he shall never die. Jesus meant that his 
soul should never die, but the Jews thought he meant that the 
man’s body should not die. And they answered him, saying, 
Abraham has died, and the prophets, and yet thou sayest that 
if a man believe in thee he shall never die. Art thou greater 
than Abraham and the prophets? 

Then Jesus told them that Abraham, when he was alive, 
believed on him, and knew that he was coming on the earth; 
and that Abraham wanted to see the day when he should come, 
and in his heart, and by faith, he did see it, though it was then 
a long way off: and Jesus said that it made Abraham glad. 
The Jews answered, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast 
thou seen Abraham? Jesus told them that he was living in 



564 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


heaven before Abraham was born. At this they were angry 
and took up stones to cast at him, but he passed out from 
among them and they could do him no harm. 

On another day while he was teaching the people, a lawyer 
stood up to ask him questions, saying, Master, what must I do 
to be saved? Jesus said to him, What does God’s law command 
thee to do ? The lawyer answered, that it commanded him to 
love God with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself. Jesus 
said, Thou hast answered right; do these things and thou shalt 
be saved. But the lawyer, because he wanted to excuse him¬ 
self, said, And who is my neighbor? 

Then Jesus spoke this parable, saying, A certain man went 
down from Jerusalem to the city of Jericho, and as he went, got 
among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing and wounded 
him and went away, leaving him half dead. While he lay on 
the ground too weak to rise, there came by chance a priest that 
way. As this priest was a minister, and a teacher of God’s law, 
we might suppose that he would have shown kindness to the 
wounded man. But instead of this, he crossed over to the other 
side of the road and went by, pretending that he did not see 
him. And after the priest came a Levite. He also was one 
of those who attended to God’s worship at the temple: yet 
when he looked at the man, he passed on as the priest had 
done, without offering to help him. 

But after the priest and the Levite had gone, a Samaritan, as 
he journeyed, came to the place. Now the Jew’s hated the Sa¬ 
maritans, and would have no dealings with them. Therefore we 
would not be surprised to hear that this Samaritan had refused 
to help the wounded Jew. Yet it was not so ; for when he saw 
him he pitied him, and w T ent to him and bound up his wounds, 
pouring in oil and wine to make them heal. Then he lifted him 
up, and setting him on his own beast, took him to an inn and 
nursed him there. The next day when he left he took out 
money, and gave it to the owner of the inn, saying, Take care 
of him; and whatever more thou shalt spend for him after I 
am gone, when I come again I will pay thee. 

Jesus, after he had told this parable, said to the lawyer, 


THE GOSPELS. 


565 


Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbor unto 
him that fell among thieves ? The lawyer answered, The one 
that shewed kindness to him. Then Jesus said to him, Go 



THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 


thou, and do likewise: that is, to every one who needs thy 
help, do as the Samaritan did. So Jesus taught the lawyer, 
and so he teaches us, that whoever does good to another per¬ 
son is that person’s neighbor. 




















566 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Jesus came to a village called Bethany, which was a little way 
from Jerusalem ; and a woman named Martha, asked him to her 
house. She had a sister named Mary who, when Jesus had come, 
sat down at his feet, that she might listen to what he taught about 
the way we are to be saved, and taken to heaven. Then Martha, 
because she had all the work to do, was displeased with her sis¬ 
ter, and she came to Jesus, saying, Lord, dost thou not care that 



JESUS AT BETHANY. 


Mary has left me to do the work alone ? Bid her therefore, that 
she come and help me. Jesus answered, Martha, Martha, thou 
art careful and troubled about many things ; yet only one thing 
is needful. Mary has chosen that, and it shall never be taken 
away from her. He meant that Mary had chosen religion, which, 
when we come to die, will be the only thing that we need, and 
the only thing that shall not be taken from us. 

And Jesus taught his disciples what they should say when they 
prayed to God. He said, When you pray, say, Our Father, who 
art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. 
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day 













the gospels. 


567 


our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive 
those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, the power, 
and the glory forever. Amen. 

Jesus told his disciples to ask God for those things that they 
needed, and God would give them. For, he said, if one of your 
children should ask you for bread, would you give him a stone? 
or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a serpent? If 
you, then, who are sinful men, know how to give good things to 
your children, how much more certain is it that your heavenly 
Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Jesus 
said that God would give us the Holy Spirit, because that is the 
best gift he can give us; for it is the Holy Spirit who comes 
into our hearts and changes them into new hearts, and so makes 
us God’s children. 

Jesus chose seventy more of his disciples, beside the twelve 
apostles, and sent them out, two and two, into every city and 
town where he himself expected to come, that they might heal 
the sick and preach the gospel to the people. And the seventy 
went and did as Jesus commanded. Afterward they returned 
to him, full of joy, because they had been able to do miracles in 
his name. But he told them not to rejoice because they had 
power to do miracles, but rather because their names were writ¬ 
ten down among those whose sins were forgiven, and who should 
be taken up to heaven. 

As he came from the temple, he saw a man who had been 
blind ever since he was born. And Jesus spat on the ground, 
and making clay of the spittle, put it upon the eyes of the blind 
man, and said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. He 
went therefore and washed, and when he came back, could see. 
Then the neighbors and those who before had known that he 
w T as blind, said, Is not this he who sat and begged ? Some said, 
This is he: others said, He is like him; but the man himself 
said, I am he. 

Therefore they asked him, saying, How were thine eyes opened? 
He answered, A man that is called Jesus made clay and put it 
upon my eyes, and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash: 


568 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


and I went and washed, and after that I could see. They said 
to him, Where is he ? He answered, I know not. 

And they brought the man who had been blind to the Phari¬ 
sees. It was the Sabbath day when Jesus made clay and opened 
his eyes. And the Pharisees also asked him how he had been 
made well. He answered, He put clay on my eyes, and I washed 
and do see. Then some of the Pharisees said, The man that 
cured thee cannot be one who obeys God, because he did it on 
the Sabbath day; and they asked him what he thought of Jesus. 
The man said, I think he is a prophet. 

But the Jews would not believe that the man had really been 
blind until they called his parents and asked them, saying, Is 
this your son who, you say, was born blind ? How is it then, 
that he can now see? His parents answered, We know that 
this is our son and that he was born blind, but how it is that he 
now sees, we cannot tell; he is old enough to speak for himself, 
ask him. The parents were afraid to say that it was Jesus who 
cured their son, because the Jews had agreed together that if 
any man said Jesus was the Saviour, he should not come into 
the synagogue. Therefore they answered, Our son is old enough 
to speak for himself, ask him. 

Then the Pharisees again called the man who had been blind, 
and said to him, Thank God for curing thee, and not the man 
who put clay on thine eyes, for we know that he is a sinner. 
The man answered, Whether he is a sinner or no, I know not: 
one thing I know, that I used to be blind, but now I see. They 
said to him again, What did he to thee ? How did he open 
thine eyes ? The man said, I have told you already and you 
would not hear me. Why do you want to hear it again ? Will 
you also be his disciples? Then they abused him, and said, 
Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know 
that God sent Moses, but as for this fellow we know not who 
sent him. 

The man answered, Why this is a strange thing, that you 
know not who sent him and yet he has opened my eyes. Since 
the beginning of the world, such a thing was never heard of 
before, as that a man should give sight to one that was born 


THE GOSPELS. 


569 


blind. If God had not sent this man, he could not have 
cured me. Then the Pharisees were filled with anger, and 
they answered him, saying, Thou wast born altogether a sinner, 
and wilt thou try to teach us ? And they forbade him to come 
any more into the synagogue. Jesus heard what the Pharisees 
had done, and when he found the man, he said to him, Dost 
thou believe on the Son of God ? The man answered, Who is 
he, Lord, that I may believe on him ? Jesus said, It is he that 
talketh with thee. And the man said, Lord, I believe. And 
he worshipped him. 

Jesus said to his disciples, I am the good shepherd, and 
know my sheep. He meant that he was like a shepherd to 
his disciples, and they were like his flock of sheep. In that 
country the shepherds went before their flocks, and the sheep 
followed them. Each sheep had its name, and knew the shep¬ 
herd’s voice and came when he called it. The shepherd stayed 
with his sheep by night, as well as by day, to keep them from 
being lost, and to guard them from wild beasts. So Jesus is 
always with his disciples to guard them from Satan, and show 
them the way to heaven. 

As he walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch, the Jews 
came round about him, and said, If thou art the Son of God, 
who, the prophets said, should come into the world, tell us so 
plainly. Jesus answered, I have told you already, but you 
would not believe because you are not of my sheep. My sheep 
listen to my voice and follow me, and I will give them eternal 
life; they shall never be lost, neither shall any man take them 
away from me. My Father gave them to me, and no man can 
take them out of his hand. I and my Father are one. Jesus 
meant that he was God; yet not God the Father, but God the 
Son; as good and as great as God the Father, and to be loved 
and worshipped as much. 

Then the Jews took up stones to cast at him because he said 
that he was God, but he escaped from them and went out of 
Jerusalem, beyond the river Jordan, to the place where John 
had baptized; and the people came to him and many believed 
on him there. 


570 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Now Mary and Martha, who lived in the town of Bethany, 
had a brother named Lazarus, and he was sick. Therefore his 
sisters sent word to Jesus, to tell him their brother was sick. 
Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, yet when he 
heard their message, he did not go to them, but stayed two 
days longer in the place where he was. Afterward he said 
to his disciples, Let us go to Bethany, for our friend Lazarus 
sleepeth and I go to awake him out of his sleep. Jesus 
meant that Lazarus was dead, and that he was going to raise 
him up from the dead. But his disciples thought he meant 
that Lazarus was taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them 
plainly, saying, Lazarus is dead. 

Now Bethany was near to Jerusalem, about two miles off, 
and many of the Jews had gone there to be with Martha and 
Mary, and comfort them in their trouble. Martha, as soon 
as she heard that Jesus was coming, went out to meet him, but 
Mary sat still in the house. Then Martha, when she met Jesus, 
said to him, Lord, if thou hadst been here my brother had not 
died. But I know that even now, whatever thou wilt ask of 
God, he will give it thee. Jesus said to her, Thy brother shall 
rise again. Martha answered, I know that he shall rise again 
at the Judgment day. 

Then Martha went back to her home and called Mary, say¬ 
ing, The Master is come, and asks for thee. As soon as Mary 
heard this she rose quickly to go to him, and when she saw 
him she kneeled down at his feet and said, Lord, if thou hadst 
been here my brother had not died. When Jesus saw her 
weeping and the Jews weeping with her, he was troubled, and 
said, Where have you laid him ? They answered, Lord, come 
and see. Jesus wept. Then the Jews, when they saw him 
weeping, said, See how he loved him. And some of them 
asked, Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind 
have saved Lazarus from dying? 

Jesus came to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone was rolled 
to the mouth of it. Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, 
the sister of Lazarus, said to him, Lord, by this time his body 
is decayed, for he has been dead four days. Jesus answered her, 


THE GOSPELS. 


571 



Did I not tell thee that if thou wouldst believe in me, thou 
shouldst see how great God’s power is ? Then they took away 
the stone. Now the Jews, when they buried their dead, wrapped 
the body in linen and tied up the head in a napkin. So they 
had buried Lazarus. And after the stone was taken away from 
the mouth of the cave, Jesus cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, 
come forth. Then he that was dead came forth, with his 
hands and feet bound in grave-clothes, and his face bound 


THE RAISING OP LAZARUS. 

around with a napkin. Jesus said to them, Loose him, and 
let him go. 

And many of the Jews who had come to visit Martha and 
Mary, when they saw this great miracle which Jesus did, be¬ 
lieved on him. But some went to the Pharisees and told them 
of what they had seen. Then the Pharisees and chief priests 
gathered together, and said to one another, What shall we do? 
for this man worketh many miracles. If we let him alone, all 
the people will believe on him and make him their king; and 
then the Bomans will be angry, and come and take away our 










572 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


city and destroy our nation. From that time they talked with 
one another about some way of putting him to death. 


MATT. XIX., XX. MARK X. LUKE XIII.-XVIII. 

A. D. 33. 

JESUS HEALS A WOMAN ON THE SABBATH. HE TELLS WHAT IS NEEDED 
IN A DISCIPLE. THE PARABLES OF THE LOST SHEEP, THE GREAT SUP¬ 
PER, THE LOST PIECE OF SILVER, THE PRODIGAL SON, THE RICH MAN 
AND LAZARUS, THE UNJUST JUDGE, THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 
HE BLESSES LITTLE CHILDREN. 

J ESUS was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 

And a woman was there who, for eighteen years, had been 
bent down with disease, so that she could not straighten herself 
nor lift herself up. When he saw her he called her to him, and 
said, Woman, thou art made well of thy sickness. Then he 
laid his hands on her, and immediately she lifted herself up 
and was made straight, and she spoke, praising God. 

But the ruler of the synagogue was angry because Jesus had 
healed her on the Sabbath day. He said to the people, There 
are six days in which men ought to work; if any of you want to 
be healed, come then, and not on the Sabbath. Jesus answered 
him, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you, on the Sabbath, 
take his ox or his ass from the stable and lead him out to water 
him ? And if it is right to do what is needful for the ox or the 
ass, is it not right that this woman, who has been suffering for 
eighteen years, should be made well on the Sabbath day ? When 
he said this his enemies were ashamed; but the people were 
glad for the miracles that were done by him. 

On another Sabbath, Jesus went into the house of one of the 
chief Pharisees, and, while there, he spoke a parable about a man 
who made a great supper. When everything had been set on 
the table, the man sent his servant to those who were invited, 
saying, Come, for all things are now ready. But they began 
with one accord to make excuse. The first, said, I have bought 
a piece of ground and must go and see it; I pray thou wilt 
have me excused. Another said, I have bought five yoke of 
oxen, and am going to try them; I pray thee have me excused. 



THE GOSPELS 


573 



And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot 
come. 

So the servant came and told his master these things. Then 
the master, being angry, said to him, Go out quickly into the 
streets and bring into my house the poor, the lame and the blind. 
And the servant did as he was commanded. Afterward he came 
to his master, saying, I have done as thou commandedst me, and 


THE GREAT SUPPER. 

there is room for still more. The master said, Go again, through 
the streets and lanes of the city, and make the people come .in, 
that my house may be filled; for none of those men who were 
first invited shall taste of my supper. 

In this parable the man who gave the supper means God ; the 
supper itself means the good news of the gospel. The servant 
means God’s ministers who preach that gospel; and the men 
who were first invited and would not come, mean the Jews, be¬ 
cause the gospel was preached to them first, and they would not 
believe it. The men who were brought into the supper afterward, 
mean the people of other nations, who have heard the gospel since 































574 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


that time, and obeyed it. And the command to go out into the 
streets and lanes and bring them in, means that not only the 
rich and the great, but also the poor and despised, are invited 
to come and be saved. 

And great multitudes came to hear Jesus. But he said to 
them, that although a man might come and listen to his words, 
yet if he did not, in his heart, care more for him than for any 
one else in the whole world, he could not be his disciple. And 
if he did not take up his cross, that is, deny himself to do what 
is right, as Jesus himself did, he could not be his disciple. 

For which of you, he asked, who intends to build a house or 
a tower, does not first sit down and count how much it will cost, 
and find out whether he has enough money to build it ? Lest 
after he has begun and built only a little way, he may have to 
stop, and all that see it mock him, saying, This man began to 
build but was not able to finish. Or what king who is going 
to make war against another king, does not before he sets out, 
consider how large an army his enemy has, lest his own army 
be too small to fight against it ? So, Jesus said, that any man 
who wanted to follow after him, must think first of what he 
would have to do. For unless he was willing to give up all that 
he had, if Jesus commanded it, he could not be his disciple. 

Then the publicans, or tax-gatherers, and other men who 
were sinners, came near to hear him. Therefore the Scribes 
and Pharisees found fault with Jesus, saying, He keeps com¬ 
pany with wicked men, and eats with them. But Jesus an¬ 
swered, Which of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one 
of them, does not leave all the rest and go after that which is 
lost till he find it ? And when he has found it, he takes it up 
on his shoulders and carries it home, rejoicing. And when he 
comes there, he says to his neighbors and friends, Rejoice with 
me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. 

Or what woman who has ten pieces of silver, if she lose one 
piece, does not light a candle and sweep the house and look 
carefully till she find it. And when she has found it, she says to 
her friends and her neighbors, Rejoice with me, for I have found 
the piece which was lost. Jesus meant, by these parables, to 


THE GOSPELS. 


575 


teach the Scribes and Pharisees, that the publicans and sinners 
who came to hear him were like the lost sheep and the lost 
piece of silver, because they were wicked. Yet he would not 
for this reason, send them away; but would rather seek for 
them, and encourage them to come to him, so that he might 
teach them to repent. For he said, that even the angels in 
heaven were glad whenever one of those wicked men repent¬ 
ed, and began to serve God. 

And he spoke a parable, saying, There was a man who had 
two sons; and the younger one said to his father, Father, give 
me my share of the riches which thou hast laid up for thy chil¬ 
dren. And his father gave him his share. Not many days 
after, the younger son took all that he had and went away into 
a far country, and there wasted what his father had given him, 
among wicked companions. When he had spent all, there came 
a great famine in that land and he began to want bread to eat. 
And he went and hired himself to a man of that country, who 
sent him out into his fields to feed swine. And he would have 
been glad to have enough of the coarse food which the swine ate, 
but the man did not give it to him. 

And after he had suffered awhile, he said to himself, In my 
father’s house, at home, how many hired servants there are who 
have plenty to eat, and more than they want, while I stay here 
starving with hunger. I will arise and go to my father, and 
will say to him, Father, I have sinned against God and done 
wickedly to thee, and do not deserve any more to be called thy 
son; let me come back to thy house, and treat me as one of 
thy hired servants. 

So he left that country to go back to his father. But as he 
went, while he was yet a good way off, his father saw him and 
pitied him, and ran out to meet him, and put his arms around his 
neck and kissed him. Then the son said to him, Father, I have 
sinned against God and done wickedly to thee, and do not deserve 
any more to be called thy son. But his father said to the ser¬ 
vants, Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring 
on his hand and shoes on his feet; and bring here the fatted calf 
and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son had 


576 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



left me and is come back again; he was lost, and is found. And 
they began to be merry. 

Now the elder son was out in the field, and when he came 
near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called 
one of the servants, and asked him what these things meant. 


THE RETURN OP THE PRODIGAL SON. 

The servant answered, Thy brother is here and thy father has 
killed the fatted calf, because he has come back safe and sound. 
Then the elder son was angry and would not go in ; therefore his 
father came out to him and begged him. But he answered his 
father, and said, For a great many years I have served thee, 
neither did I ever disobey thy commandments, yet thou never 
gavest me a kid that I might make a feast for my friends. But 
as soon as this thy son was come, who has wasted thy money in 
doing wickedly, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. The 
father answered, My son, I have always loved thee, and every¬ 
thing I have is the same as though it were thine. Yet it is 






















THE GOSPELS. 


577 


right that we should be glad and rejoice, for this thy brother had 
left us, and he is come back again; he was lost, and is found. 

In this parable Jesus taught the proud Scribes and Phari¬ 
sees, who blamed him for preaching to sinners, that God 
loved those sinners and was willing to forgive them, and 
take them for his children again, if they would only cease 
doing evil and obey him. 

And he spoke another parable to those persons who loved 
to be rich, and to spend their time only in enjoying them¬ 
selves, but did not care to obey God. He said, There was a 
rich man who was dressed in the most beautiful garments, and 
ate the nicest of food every day. And there was a beggar 
named Lazarus, who was sick, and covered with sores. And 
because he was poor, and had nothing to eat, his friends car¬ 
ried him and laid him down every day at the rich man’s gate, so 
that he might get the crumbs and pieces of food that were left 
from the rich man’s table. And even the dogs seemed to pity 
him, for they came and licked his sores. 

And the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to heaven. 
He was not poor there, neither had he to beg his food. He ate 
at the table with Abraham and leaned upon Abraham’s bosom. 
Afterward the rich man died also, but his soul went where the 
wicked go. And in hell, while he was being punished for his 
sins, he looked up and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus lean¬ 
ing on his bosom. And he cried, saying, Father Abraham, have 
pity upon me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his 
finger in water, and come with it and cool my tongue; for I am 
tormented in this flame. But Abraham said to him, Remember 
that in thy lifetime thou hadst good things, but Lazarus evil 
things; but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And, 
beside this, there is between us and you a great gulf which no 
one can pass, so that those who would go from us to you cannot, 
and those who would come to us from you cannot come. 

Then the rich man said, If Lazarus cannot come to me, I pray 
thee send him to my father’s house, for I have five brethren liv¬ 
ing there, that he may tell them to repent and obey God, so that 
they come not, when they die, to this dreadful place. Abraham 
37 


578 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


answered, They have the Scriptures to read, let them learn to 
repent from them. And the rich man said, Nay, Father Abra¬ 
ham, but if one from the dead shall go and speak to them, they 


LAZARUS AT THE RICH MAN’S GATE. 

surely will repent. Abraham answered him, If they will not hear 
what God says to them in the Scriptures, they would not be per¬ 
suaded to obey him, even though one rose from the dead. 





























THE GOSPELS. 


579 


And Jesus spoke yet another parable, when he wanted to 
teach his disciples that they should continue to pray, and not be 
discouraged, although God did not at first seem to answer their 



LAZARUS CARRIED TO HEAVEN. 


prayers. He said, There lived in a city a wicked judge, who 
did not fear God nor care to act justly toward men. And in the 
same city lived a poor widow who kept coming to him, and 
















580 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


asking that he would punish a man who was her enemy. For a 
while the judge would not listen to her, but afterward he said to 
himself, Though I will not do it because I fear God, or care to 
act justly toward men, yet, because this woman wearies me, I 



THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 


will do what she asks. And Jesus said, Hear what this judge 
saith. And if he, who was a wicked man, would do what the 
widow asked for, because she asked him so often, will not God, 


















































































































THE GOSPELS. 


581 


who is holy, and who loves his children, give them what they 
pray for by day and by night, though he seem for a while not 
to hear them ? 

And Jesus spoke a parable to those persons who thought 
themselves more righteous than others. He said, Two men 
went up to the temple to pray, one of them was a Pharisee and 
the other a publican. The Pharisee chose a place where the 
people would see him; there he stood up proudly and prayed 
in this way, God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, 
who are unjust, and who take more than belongs to them. I 
thank thee that I am not a sinner like this publican. I fast 
twice in the week; I give to the priests and Levites a tenth 



JESUS BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 


part of all that I get. But the publican, who felt himself to 
be wicked and was sorry for it, stood where he hoped no one 
would notice him, and bowing down his head, he beat upon his 
breast in great distress, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 
Then Jesus told those who listened to him that this publican 








582 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


went back to his home forgiven more than the Pharisee. For, 
he said, every one who is proud and thinks much of himself, 
shall be put down, but he that is humble and confesses his sin 
shall be raised up higher. 

The people brought little children to Jesus, that he might put 
his hands on them and bless them. And his disciples found fault 
with those who brought them, and would have sent them away. 
But Jesus was much displeased at his disciples, and said, Let the 
little children come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is 
the kingdom of heaven. He meant that only those persons who 
are humble and loving, like little children, shall come into his 
kingdom. And he took the little children up in his arms, and 
put his hands upon them and blessed them. 

And as they journeyed together, he took the twelve apostles 
aside by themselves, and told them they were going up to Jerusa¬ 
lem and that when they should come there, all those things would 
happen to him which the prophets had spoken. He would be 
mocked, and scourged, and spit upon, and crucified; and the third 
day he would rise again. But the apostles, because they still 
expected that he was going to set up an earthly kingdom, could 
not understand him when he spoke of those things. 


MATT. XXI.-XXIII. MARK X.-XII. LUKE XVIII.- 


XXI. JOHN XII. 


A. D. 33. 

JESUS COMES TO JERICHO, HEALS BLIND BARTIMEUS AND VISITS ZAC- 
CHEUS. HE ENTERS JERUSALEM RIDING ON AN ASS, HEALS THE 
BLIND AND LAME, CURSES THE BARREN FIG TREE, SPEAKS THE 
PARABLES OF THE VINEYARD, AND OF THE MARRIAGE FEAST, TELLS 
WHICH IS THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT, AND COMMENDS THE WO¬ 
MAN WHO GAVE TWO MITES. 

W HEN they came to Jericho a great number of people fol¬ 
lowed him. And a blind man, named Bartimeus, sat by 
the way-side begging; and hearing the multitude, he asked what 
it meant. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 
As soon as he heard this he began to cry out with a loud voice, 
saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. When the 
people heard him crying out, they told him to be silent. But 



THE GOSPELS. 


583 



he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy 
on me. Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And 
they called him, saying, Be of good comfort, rise, he calleth 
for thee. Then the blind man rose up in haste, and threw away 
his outer garment, that he might go the more quickly to Jesus. 
Jesus said to him, What wilt thou have me do for thee ? The 
blind man answered, Lord, that thou wouldst give me my sight. 
Jesus said, Because thou hast faith thou art made well. And 
immediately he could see; and he followed Jesus, praising God 
for what had been done to him. 

There was in Jericho a man named Zaccheus, who was the 


JESUS GIVES BAETIMEUS HIS SIGHT. 

chief one among the publicans, or tax-gatherers; and he was 
rich. As Jesus passed through the streets of the city, Zac¬ 
cheus tried to see w 7 ho it was, but could not for the crowd, 
because he was not so tall as the rest of the people. So he ran 
on before and climbed up into a sycamore tree, for Jesus was 
to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place he looked 
up and saw him, and said to him, Zaccheus, make haste and 









584 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



And it is very likely that Zaccheus did this before Jesus 
came to his house. But when Jesus came he believed that 
God had sent him, and he listened to his teaching and obeyed 
his words. 

And Zaccheus stood up before all the people who were there, 
and told Jesus that he would be unjust no more. He would be 
kind to the poor, he said, and would give them half of all the 
money he had. And if he found he had taken anything that 
did not belong to him, he would give back four times as much 
to the person he took it from. 

When Jesus saw how Zaccheus repented of his sins and 
obeyed what he taught him, he told Zaccheus that all his 


come down, for to-day I must stay at thy house. And he made 
haste and came down, and going with Jesus, received him into 
his house joyfully. 

Now the publicans, who took the people’s money for the 
king, were often unjust and cruel men. They were unjust to 
poor persons, taking from them more than it was right to take. 









THE GOSPELS. 


585 


sins were forgiven. But the Jews found fault with Jesus for 
going to the house of a publican, and they said that he had gone to 
stay with a man who was a sinner. Then Jesus told them that 
he had come into the world on purpose to go among sinners, 
so that he might teach them to repent, and save them from be¬ 
ing punished for their sins. 

Now the feast of the passover was near, and many of the 
people went up to Jerusalem to keep it. Then they looked for 
Jesus, and as they stood in the courts of the temple, spoke to 
one another, saying, What think you, will he not come to the 
feast? For both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given 
a commandment, that if any man knew where Jesus was, he 
should tell them. And six days before the passover, Jesus 
came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom he had raised 
from the dead. The Jews knew that Lazarus was there, and 
they came to Bethany not to see Jesus only, but Lazarus also. 
Then the chief priests talked with one another, seeking some 
way to put Lazarus to death; because many of the Jews, after 
they had seen him, believed on Jesus. 

And Jesus left Bethany to go to Jerusalem. When he was 
come to the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, say¬ 
ing, Go into the village which is near you, and you shall find 
there a colt tied, on which no man ever yet rode. Loose him, 
and bring him to me. If any man asks, Why do you this? 
you shall say, Because the Lord has need of him; and imme¬ 
diately he will send him. And the two disciples went and found 
the colt, as Jesus had said. As they were loosing him, the 
owners asked, Why loose you the colt ? They answered, The 
Lord has need of him. Then they let them take him. And 
they brought him to Jesus; and the disciples put their garments 
upon the colt and Jesus sat on him. 

As he rode toward the city a great multitude took off* their 
outer garments and spread them in the way. Others cut down 
branches from the trees and strewed them in the way, that he 
might ride over them. They did this to honor him, for so the 
people used to do when a king rode through their streets. And 
the multitudes that went before and that followed after, cried 


586 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


with a loud voice, praising him, and saying, Hosanna! Blessed 
is he that has come to us, sent by the Lord. Yet Jesus knew 
that although they now praised him, they did not love him in 
their hearts, and that in a few days they would be crying out 
to crucify him. As he came near to Jerusalem, he looked on 


JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM. 



it and wept, when he thought of the sufferings that were coming 
upon the Jews. Their enemies would bring an army, he said., 
and make a camp around the city, and besiege it and destroy it; 
every house would be thrown down, so that not one stone would 
be left standing upon another ; because, although he had come 
from heaven to save them, the Jews would not believe on him, 
and were now going to put him to death. 














THE GOSPELS. 


587 


And he came into Jerusalem, and went up to the temple, and 
the blind and the lame were brought to him, and he healed 
them. But when the chief priests and the Scribes saw the mir¬ 
acles that he did, and heard the children in the temple praising 
him and crying out, Hosanna, they were much displeased. 

In the evening he went out of the city to Bethany, and slept 
there. In the morning, as he came back to Jerusalem, he was 
hungry, and seeing a fig-tree on the way, he went to it to eat of 
the fruit, but found only leaves on the trees. Then he said to it, 
Let no more fruit grow on thee forever; and the disciples heard 
his words. The next day, as they passed by again, they saw that 
the fig-tree was dried up from the roots, for it was dead. And 
remembering the words that Jesus had spoken, they said, How 
soon has the fig-tree withered away. 

And Jesus spoke this parable. He said, There was a man who 
planted a vineyard, and set a hedge or fence around it, and dug 
a cistern to hold the juice of the grapes, when they were pressed 



EASTERN WINE PRESS. 


to make wine. He built a tower also for the servants who 
should stay to guard it against wild animals and robbers. After 
everything was finished, he rented his vineyard to husbandmen 
who were to give him a part of the fruit. Then he went away 
to a far country. 

When the time had come for the fruit to be ripe, he sent one 
of his servants to the husbandmen, that they might give him his 











588 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


share. But the husbandmen caught the servant and beat him, 
and sent him away without any. And the owner of the vine¬ 
yard sent another servant; at him they cast stones and wounded 
him in the head, and sent him away cruelly treated. Afterward 
he sent yet more servants, and some of these they beat and some 
they killed. Then the owner of the vineyard, having one son 
whom he loved, sent him, saying, Surely they will fear to harm 
my son. But the husbandmen, when they saw him, said, This 
is the son, who, when his father dies, will have the vineyard. 
Come, let us kill him and take it for our own. So they caught 
him, and cast him out of the vineyard and slew him. Then 
Jesus said to the people who heard him, When the owner of the 
vineyard comes, what will he do to the husbandmen ? The peo¬ 
ple answered, He will destroy those wicked men, and let out his 
vineyard to others who will give him his share of the fruit. 

In this parable the owner of the vineyard meant God, and the 
wicked husbandmen meant the Jews. God had chosen them for 
his people, and given them the land of Canaan; he had taught 
them his laws, and they had promised to obey him. When they 
did not do this he sent his prophets to warn and persuade them. 
But they had persecuted those prophets and slain them. Then, 
at last, God sent his only Son, Jesus. And now they were going 
to kill him also, as the wicked husbandmen had killed the son 
of the owner of the vineyard. When the chief priests and the 
Pharisees heard this parable, they knew that Jesus had spoken 
it about them; and they were angry and wanted to put him to 
death. 

And he spoke another parable to the people. He said, There 
was a king who made a marriage-feast for his son. And he sent 
out his servants, telling those who were invited to come: and 
they would not. Then he sent to them again, saying, My oxen, 
my fatted calves, and my sheep, have been killed for my dinner, 
and all things are ready, therefore come to the marriage. But 
some turned away and would not hear, and others took the ser¬ 
vants, and treated them cruelly and slew them. When the king 
heard of it he was angry, and sent out his soldiers and destroyed 
those murderers and burned up their city. Then he said to his 


THE GOSPELS. 


589 


servants, The wedding-feast is ready, but those who were invited 
cannot come. Go out, therefore, into the streets and lanes and 
ask all whom you meet to the marriage. So the servants went 
out and gathered all the people they could find and brought 
them in. 

Now the king had made new and beautiful garments for those 
who should sit down to his feast, and one of these garments was 
offered to each person as he came into the house, and he was 
commanded to put it on. But when the king went into the 
room where the feast was held, he saw there a man that had not 
on a wedding garment. And he said to him, Friend, how earnest 
thou in here not having on a wedding garment ? And the man 
was silent, for he had refused to take it when it was offered him. 
Then the king, being angry, said to the servants, Bind his hands 
and his feet, and take him away and cast him into the dark 
dungeons where those persons are kept who will not obey me. 

In this parable the king who gave the feast means God, and 
the king’s son for whom it was given, means Jesus. Those who 
were first invited to it and would not come, mean the Jews, be¬ 
cause they were first asked to believe in Jesus, but they would 
not. The people who were brought into the feast afterward, 
mean those of other nations who have believed in him since that 
time. And the man without the wedding garment means any 
one who pretends to believe, but in his heart does not. For 
God sees our hearts, and nothing we can do will hide them, 
even for a moment, from him. 

And a Pharisee, who was also a teacher of the laws of Moses, 
came to Jesus and asked him a question : he said, Master, which 
is the first, or principal one, of all God’s commandments? Jesus 
answered, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first 
and great commandment. And the other one that is like it 
is, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Then Jesus said, 
On these two commandments hang all the law and the proph¬ 
ets ; he meant, that all the other commandments in the Bible 
come from these two. For if we obey the first, we shall do all 
our duty to God, and if we obey the last, we shall do all our 


590 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


duty to our neighbor; and so we shall do everything that the 
Bible commands us to do. 

Jesus spoke to the Scribes and Pharisees and called them 
hypocrites, because they loved to sit in the chief seats in the syn¬ 
agogues and to make long prayers there, that the people might 
see and praise them; while, at the same time, they were unjust to 



THE WIDOW’S MITE. 


other persons and cruel to the poor, taking for their own what did 
not belong to them. For these things, Jesus said, they should 
receive the greater punishment at the Judgment day. 

And he sat in the court of the temple where the chests, or 
boxes, were placed, into which the people cast the money that 
they gave to buy sacrifices. And many persons who were rich 











THE GOSPELS. 


591 


gave much. And there came a poor widow who gave two mites, 
which were less than a penny. Then Jesus called his disciples 
to him, and told them that what the poor widow cast in, seemed 
more to God than all that the rich men had given. For they, 
Jesus said, had much left for themselves, because they gave out 
of their riches; but she had nothing left for herself, because 
she gave all that she had, even to live upon. 


MATT. XXIV.-XXVI. MARK XIII.-XIV. LUKE 
XXI. JOHN XII. 


A. D. 33. 


JESUS FORETELLS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE. THE PARABLES 
OF THE TEN VIRGINS, AND OF THE TALENTS. JESUS SPEAKS OF THE 
JUDGMENT-DAY. HE GOES TO BETHANY, WHERE MARY ANOINTS 
HIS FEET. JUDAS AGREES TO BETRAY HIM FOR THIRTY PIECES 
OF SILVER. 


A LTHOUGH the Jews had seen Jesus do so many miracles, 
they would not believe that he was the Saviour, because 
their hearts were wicked. Yet many of their rulers believed on 
him, but were afraid to confess it, lest the Pharisees should forbid 
them to come into the synagogue; for they cared more to have 
men think well of them than they did to please God. 

We have read that Herod had built up the temple anew with 
stones of white marble. Some of these stones were very great, 
being more than seventy feet long, ten feet wide, and eight feet 
high. Other buildings, for the priests to live in, were built 
near to the temple; we have read also of the splendid porches, 
with great marble pillars, which stood around the court of the 
Gentiles. As Jesus was going away from the temple, one of 
his disciples came to him and said, Look, Master, at the great 
stones and beautiful buildings that are here. Jesus answered, 
him, Dost thou see these great buildings? Verily, (that is, 
Truly), I say unto thee, the day is coming when they shall all 
be thrown down, so that not one stone of them will be left 
standing upon another. Jesus said this because he knew that 
the Jews were going to crucify him, and that afterward, God 
would punish them by sending their enemies against them, who 
would destroy their city and their temple. 



592 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



the night, and some of his friends, each one carrying a lamp, or 
torch, used to go out to meet him. These ten virgins in the para¬ 
ble, had made ready to go out and meet the bridegroom. They 
had lighted their lamps, but because the bridegroom stayed 
longer than they expected, they sat down to wait until he should 
come. And they all fell asleep. Now five of them were wise, 
and brought oil in vessels with them, beside the oil that was in 
their lamps, so that if their lamps should go out they would 
have enough to fill them again. But five were foolish, and 
brought no oil except what was in their lamps. 

And at midnight the people who were watching, cried, The 


And Jesus told his disciples to be always ready for the Judg¬ 
ment day, because they could not tell how soon that day w T ould 
come. Then he spoke a parable to them about ten virgins who 
went out to meet the bridegroom. For in that country when a 
man was married, he brought his bride home to his house in 


EASTERN MARRIAGE PROCESSION. 



THE GOSPELS. 


593 


bridegroom is coming, go you out to meet him. Then all the 
virgins rose up in haste and trimmed their lamps. And the 
foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil for our lamps 
have gone out. But the wise answered, saying, We have not 
enough for us and for you ; go therefore to those that sell, and 
buy more for yourselves. While they were gone the bridegroom 
came, and those that were ready went in with him to the mar¬ 
riage-feast ; and the door was shut. Afterward came the other 
virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and 
said, I know you not; and he refused to let them come in. 

In this parable the bridegroom means Jesus coming back to 
the earth on the Judgment day. The ten virgins mean those 
of us who call ourselves his disciples, and who expect to be 
ready to meet him then. The oil that was burned in the lamps, 
means religion in our hearts; if we have not enough of this to 
keep our lamps burning, that is, to keep us loving Jesus and 
obeying his commandments, w T e shall not, when he comes again, 
go with him to heaven. But like the foolish virgins whose oil 
was all gone, we will find the door shut, and will never be 
allowed to enter there. 

And Jesus spoke another parable of a man who took a journey 
Into a far country. But before he went, he called his servants 
and gave them his money, that they might take it and earn more 
with it for him, while he was gone. To one servant he gave 
five talents, to another two, and to another only one. He gave 
to each servant as much as he thought that servant would know 
how to use. When he had done this, he went away on his jour¬ 
ney. Then the servant who had five talents took them and 
traded with them, until he earned for his master five talents 
more. And the one who had two talents, did the same, till he 
had earned two talents more. But the servant with one talent, 
because he had no love for his master, did not care to work for 
him. Therefore he went and digged in the ground and hid his 
lord’s money, to keep it till he should come. 

After a long time the master returned, and called his servants 
to give an account of what they had done. So he who had the 
five talents came to him, saying, Master, thou gavest me five 


594 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


talents, see, I have earned beside them five talents more. His 
master said, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou 
hast been industrious and careful with the few things that 1 
gave thee, I will now give thee many things; and thou shalt 
come live in my house and be happy with me there. He also who 
had the two talents came, and said, Master, thou gavest me 
two talents, I have earned two other talents beside them. And 
the master said, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou 
hast been industrious and careful with the few things that I gave 
thee, I will now give thee many things; thou also shalt come and 
live in my house and be happy there. 

Then he who had the one talent came, and said, Master, I 
knew that thou wast an unjust man, taking what was not thine 
own and using what did not belong to thee; and I was afraid 
lest I might lose thy money, and be punished for it. Therefore 
I went and hid it in the earth where no one could steal it from 
me. And now I have brought it again; there it is; take it, for 
it is thine. The master answered him, Thou disobedient and 
slothful servant, even if I were an unjust man, it was no reason 
why thou shouldst neglect thy duty, and be idle while I was 
gone. Therefore thou art only making an excuse for thy own 
wickedness. Then he said to his other servants, Take the one 
talent from him, and give it to him who earned five talents. For 
to every one who has earned something, I will give more; but 
from him who has earned nothing, I will take away even the 
little that he has. 

In this parable the master means Christ, who has gone to 
heaven to stay for a time, we know not how long, but is coming 
back on the Judgment day. The servants mean all of us whom 
he has left to work for him in this world. The talents mean 
whatever he has given us to work w r ith. Some of us have many 
talents, and some of us have few, but each one has as many as 
he knows how to use. When Jesus comes again, he will reward 
those who have used their talents in working for him, but he 
will punish those who have not used them, or who have used 
them only in working for themselves. 

And Jesus told his disciples of what would happen on the 


THE GOSPELS. 


595 


Judgment day. On that day he will come in his glory, and 
all the holy angels will be with him. Then he will sit on 
his throne, and the dead of all nations shall rise up from their 
graves and stand before him to be judged. And he will sep¬ 
arate the righteous from the wicked, as a shepherd separates 
his sheep from the goats; he will set the sheep on his right 
hand, but the goats on the left. 

Then he will say to those on his right hand, Come, ye chil¬ 
dren of my Father, into the kingdom which has been made 
ready for you from the beginning of the world. For when I 
was hungry you gave me food ; w r hen I was thirsty you gave me 
drink; when I was poor and naked you clothed me; when I 
w r as sick you visited me; when I was in prison you came to me 
and comforted me. Then the righteous shall answer him, say¬ 
ing, Lord, when saw we thee hungry and fed thee ? or thirsty 
and gave thee drink. When saw we thee poor,and naked,and 
clothed thee ? or sick, or in prison, and comforted thee ? And 
Jesus shall answer them, Whenever you did these things to 
any poor and suffering person who loved me on earth, it was 
the same as if you did it to me. 

Then shall he turn to the wicked on his left hand, and say, 
Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire that was made 
ready for the devil and his evil spirits. For I was hungry and 
you gave me no food ; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink . 
I was naked and you clothed me not; sick and in prison, and 
you visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, 
Lord, when saw w T e thee hungry, or thirsty, or naked, or sick, 
or in prison, and did not help thee ? And he shall answer them. 
Because ye did not do it to any of the poor and the suffering 
people who loved me on earth, it was the same as" if ye did not 
do it to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punish¬ 
ment, but the righteous into life eternal. 

When Jesus had spoken all these things to his disciples, he 
told them that in two days would be the feast of the passover, 
and then he would be betrayed to be crucified. Now the chief 
priests and scribes were anxious to take him; and they met 
together at the house of the high priest seeking how they might 


596 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


do this by cunning, and afterward put him to death. But, they 
said, we cannot do it on the feast day when all the people 
will be gathered together, lest they be angry and it cause a 
disturbance among them. 

And Jesus came to Bethany, the town where Mary and Mar¬ 
tha and Lazarus lived, and they made him a supper there. 
Martha waited on him, but Lazarus was one of those who ate 
at the table. Now the Jews at their meals, did not sit upright 
on chairs as we do; they reclined, or lay down, on couches which 
were placed around the table instead of chairs. They reclined 



RECLINING AT MEALS. 


on these couches, leaning upon their left arms and feeding them¬ 
selves with their right hands, while their feet were stretched out, 
away from the table, on the couches behind them. 

As Jesus was reclining in this way, Mary took a pound of 
ointment, called spikenard, which was very costly, and bowing 
down at his feet, she anointed them with it and wiped them with 
her hair; and the house was filled with the sweet smell of the 
ointment. And one of his apostles, named Judas Iscariot, who 
afterward betrayed him, said, Why was not this ointment sold 
for three hundred pence, and the money given to the poor? 
Judas said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because 
he was a thief, and carried the bag in which the money was 
kept, and he wanted to take it for his own. But Jesus an¬ 
swered him, saying, Let her alone; why do you find fault with 






THE GOSPELS. 


597 


her ? She has done a good work on me. For you have the poor 
with you always and whenever you will you may do them good, 
but you will not have me always. And Jesus said to his dis¬ 
ciples, that wherever his gospel should be preached over the 
whole world, this thing that Mary had done to him, should be 
told, that it might be remembered of her. 

Then Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests, and said to 
them, What will you give me, if I bring you to the place where 
he is, so that you may take him ? And they promised to give 
him thirty pieces of silver. From that time he tried to find 
Jesus alone, that he might betray him to them. 


MATT. XXVI. MARK XIV. LUKE XXII. JOHN XIII.- 
XVIII. 

A. D. 33. 


JESUS AND HIS APOSTLES EAT THE PASSOVER. THE APOSTLES DISPUTE AS 
TO WHICH SHALL BE GREATEST. JESUS WASHES THEIR FEET ; EATS 
OF THE LORD’S SUPPER WITH THEM; GOES WITH THEM TO GETH- 
SEMANE; PRAYS IN THE GARDEN, AND IS BETRAYED BY JUDAS- 


A ND now the day was come when the Jews made ready for 
the feast of the passover. To do this, each man among 
them took a lamb to the temple and killed it, as a sacrifice, before 
the altar. Then the priests burned its fat on the altar, but the 
rest of the lamb the man took to his home; there it was roasted 
with fire, and he and his family ate of it in the night; for, as we 
have read, the feast of the passover was eaten in the night. 

Jesus and his apostles were going to keep this feast together, 
and the apostles came to him and asked at what place they 
should make it ready. He answered, Go into Jerusalem and 
there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water; follow 
him into the house where he is going, and say to the man who 
lives there, The Master wants thee to show us the chamber 
where he shall come to eat the feast of the passover with his 
disciples. And the man will show you a large upper room, 
furnished; there make ready the feast. The disciples did as 
Jesus commanded, and the man showed them the room and 
they made the feast ready there. 



598 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


In the evening Jesus came with his twelve apostles and re¬ 
clined with them at the table. And he said to them, I have 
greatly desired to eat this passover with you before I die, for I 
say unto you, I will not any more eat of the lamb that has been 
sacrificed, until I myself have been sacrificed for the sins of the 
people. But the apostles did not understand him when he spoke 



THE APOSTLES FOLLOW THE MAN INTO THE HOUSE. 


of being sacrificed for the people. They still thought he was 
going to set up an earthly kingdom, and that now the time for 
him to do this was coming near. And they began to dispute 
among themselves, as they had done before, about w hich of them 
should be greatest in that kingdom. Then Jesus told them that 
among the people of this world, those who were great ruled over 
the resh But, he said, it shall not be so with you. For w r hoever 
among you will be the greatest, let him be the most humble, 
and the one who will be chief, let him be as if he were the 
servant of all 




THE GOSPELS. 


599 



Then Jesus asked them which was the greatest, the person 
who ate at the table, or the one who served him while he was 
eating. Yet, he said, I am among you as the one who serves. 
And he arose from the table and laid aside his outer garment, 
and took a towel and girded himself with it. After that he 
poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet 
and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. And 
he came to Peter. Now Peter did not wish Jesus to wash his 
feet as though Jesus were his servant, and he said to him, Lord, 
wilt thou wash my feet? Jesus answered, Thou dost not under¬ 
stand why I do it now, but thou shalt know afterward. Peter 
said, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I 
wash thee not thou canst not be one of my disciples. Then Peter 


JESUS WASHES THE APOSTLES’ FEET. 

said, Lord, wash not my feet only, but also my hands and my 
head. Jesus said to him, He that is washed needs only to wash 
his feet. 

So after he had washed their feet, and put on the garment 
which he had laid aside and come to the table again, he said to 










600 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE , 


them, Do you know what I have done unto you ? You call me 
Master and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I, then, 
your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you ought to 
wash one another’s feet, for I have given you an example that 
you should do as I have done to you. 

And as they ate of the passover, Jesus said to them, Verily, I 
say unto you, one of you who are eating with me shall betray 
me. Then the disciples were filled with sorrow, and they looked 
on one another wondering of whom he spoke. Now there was 
leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved. 
Peter therefore motioned to him that he should ask Jesus of 
whom he spoke. He then that leaned on Jesus’ breast said to 
him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, It is he to whom I shall 
give a piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish. And 
when he had dipped the bread he gave it to Judas Iscariot, 
After that, Satan went into Judas. Then Jesus said to him. 
What thou art going to do, do quickly. 

Now no man at the table knew what Jesus meant by these 
words. Some of them thought, because Judas carried the bag 
in which the money was kept, that Jesus commanded him to go 
and buy those things of which they had need, or else that he 
should give something to the poor. Then Judas went out from 
the house where Jesus and the apostles were. And it was night. 
When he was gone, Jesus said to them, I will be with you only 
a little while. Before I leave you I give a new commandment 
unto you: it is that you love one another; as I have loved you, 
so shall ye also love one another. By this every one shall know 
that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another. 

And Jesus told the apostles that they would all be tempted to 
leave him, that night. Peter answered, Though all the rest shall 
leave thee I never will, for I am ready to go to prison and be 
put to death with thee. Jesus said, I tell thee, Peter, that this 
night, before the cock crows twice, thou shalt three times deny 
that thou knowest me. Put Peter answered the more con¬ 
fidently, Though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. 
And so they all said. 

And as they were eating together, Jesus took bread and 


THE GOSPELS. 


601 


blessed it, and broke it in pieces and gave it to his apostles, 
saying, Take and eat, for this is my body which is broken for 
you. He meant that the bread was like his body, and repre¬ 
sented it, because his body was soon to be broken, and crucified, 
and offered up on the cross for them. Then he took some 



JESUS GIVES HIS APOSTLES THE BREAD AND WINE. 


wine in a cup and when he had thanked God, he gave it to 
them and they all drank of it. And he said to them, This 
wine is my blood, which is shed for the forgiveness of sins. 
He meant that the wine was like his blood, and represented 
it, because his blood was very soon to be shed, like the blood 
of the sacrifices at the altar, so that all who believed in him 
might have their sins forgiven. Then he commanded his apos¬ 
tles to meet together, after he should be put to death, and to eat 
the bread and drink the wine in the same way that he had shown 
them; and as often as they did it to remember him. 
















602 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


This is the Communion, or Lord’s Supper, that his disciples 
have still. It was Jesus who told us to have it. Whenever 
we see the broken bread in that Supper it means his body, 
wounded and nailed to the cross. And whenever we see the 
wine it means his blood, poured out of the wounds in his hands 
and his side. Those who love him will keep on having this 
Supper until he comes to the earth again. Every time they eat 
of it they think of the sins they have committed and that he 
was punished for on the cross; and they repent of those sins and 
determine to commit them no more. 

And as they sat at the table Jesus talked with his apostles, 
and told them not to be troubled because he was to be taken 
away from them. He was going to heaven, he said, to make 
ready a place for them there; afterward he would come and 
take them, so that where he was they might be. And he said 
to them, Obey my commandments, for it is he who obeys my 
commandments that loves me ; and whoever loves me my Father 
will love. Then he promised them that his Father would send 
the Holy Spirit into their hearts to make them remember and 
understand every thing he had told them; and to teach them 
also, what they should teach others. And the Holy Spirit would 
stay with them, and be their Comforter, while he was away 
from them. 

And Jesus said, I am the vine and ye are the branches; 
he meant that he was like a vine, and the apostles were like 
branches growing out of the vine. The good branches, he said, 
that bore fruit, his Father took care of, and made stronger, so 
that they would bear more fruit; but the bad branches that bore 
no fruit, were cut off and thrown into the fire. And if the 
apostles wanted to bear fruit, that is, if they wanted to do the 
good works that Jesus told them to do, they must keep on 
loving and obeying him, for without his help they could do 
nothing that was good. 

Then he told the apostles that he had chosen them to bear 
fruit, and do good works among the people. Yet they must 
remember what he had before told them, that the people would 
not love them for doing these things, but would hate them and 


THE GOSPELS. 


603 


persecute them. And now, he said, you have sorrow, because I 
am to be taken away from you, but after I have risen from the 
dead I will see you again, and then you shall have joy. 

And he commanded them when they asked anything from 
God, to ask it in his name and for his sake. Before that 
time they had never prayed in this way, but now they were to 
do it, and God would always hear and answer their prayers. 
God would answer the disciples when they prayed in Jesus’ 
name, because Jesus was the one who had borne the punish¬ 
ment for their sins. 

Then he lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed for his dis¬ 
ciples, and for all those who should believe in him from hearing 
the words that his disciples preached. He prayed that they 
might be kept from sin, and might love one another; and he 
said that he wanted them to be with him in heaven, where they 
could see his glory which his Father had given him. 

After these things Jesus and his apostles sang a hymn to¬ 
gether, and then they went out from the house where they had 
eaten the passover, and came to the mount called the mount 
of Olives, which was a little way from Jerusalem; and they 
went into a garden that was there, called the garden of Geth- 
semane. And Jesus said to his apostles, Sit ye here while I 
go yonder and pray. And he went a little way from them, 
and kneeled down and prayed. And now, because he was 
being punished for our sins, and knew that in a few hours he 
would be crucified, he was in an agony, and his sweat seemed 
like great drops of blood falling down to the ground; and an 
angel came and comforted him. When he rose up from prayer 
and went back to his disciples, he found them sleeping, and he 
said to them, Why sleep ye? Arise and pray, lest you be 
tempted to do wrong. And he went away and prayed again, 
and came and found them sleeping. But when he came the 
third time, he said, Rise up, and let us be going; behold, he 
who will betray me is coming near. 

Now Judas had been watching when Jesus went to the gar¬ 
den. And because it was night and only a few of his disci¬ 
ples were with him, Judas thought it the best time to betray 


604 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


his Master. Therefore he went to the chief priests and elders 
and told them, and they gave him a band of men to go with 
him and take Jesus; and now Judas was bringing the men to 
the garden, and Jesus knew it, yet he did not flee, but wait¬ 
ed to let them take him, because the time had come for him 



JESUS PRAYS IN THE GARDEN. 


to die. And while he was yet speaking with his apostles, and 
telling them that the one who would betray him was near, 
Judas came, and with him the band of men carrying swords 
and staves, and lanterns. 

And Judas had given them a sign, saying, The one that 1 
shall kiss is he; take him and hold him fast. Then he came 
to Jesus, and said, Master, Master, and kissed him. Jesus 














THE GOSPELS. 


605 


said to him, Judas, dost thou betray me with a kiss? Then 
the men laid their hands on Jesus and took him. When the 
apostles saw them take Jesus, they said to him, Lord, shall we 
fight them with the sword ? And Peter, having a sword, drew 
it and struck a servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 
But Jesus said, Put thy sword back again into the sheath. 
Might I not now pray to my Father that he should send me 



JUDAS BETKAYS JESUS. 


quickly many thousands of angels to fight for me and save me 
from death? But how then could the words of the prophets 
come true, which say that I am to die for the people ? Then 
Jesus touched the servant’s ear and healed it. And he said to 
the men that took him, Have you come out with swords and 
staves, as though I were a thief, to take me ? I sat daily with 








606 


THE STORY OF THE HI RLE. 


you, teaching in the temple, and you did nothing to me. Then 
all his apostles, being afraid, left him and fled. 


MATT. XXVI., XXVII. MARK XIV., XV. LUKE 
XXII., XXIII. JOHN XVIII., XIX. 

A. D. 33. 


JESUS IS LED BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST. PETER DENIES HIS MASTER. 
JESUS IS BROUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL; IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH ; 
HE COMMITS HIS MOTHER TO JOHN’S CARE; HE DIES ON THE CROSS. 


A ND the men that took Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, who 
was the high priest that year. In the high priest’s palace 
were gathered together all the chief priests, the scribes, and the 
elders, and they brought Jesus before them. Now t Peter had 
followed Jesus, a good way off, hoping that no one would know 



PETER DENIES THAT HE IS JESUS’ DISCIPLE. 


him, and he came into the high priest’s palace and sat down 
among the servants by a fire that was burning there; for he 
wanted to see what would be done. 

And a young woman came to him, and said, Thou wast with 
Jesus of Galilee. Rut Peter denied it, and said he was not, 





















































THE GOSPELS. 


607 


And he went out on the porch, and the cock crew. There an¬ 
other maid saw him, and said to those who stood by, This fellow 
also was with Jesus of Nazareth. And again Peter denied it, 
saying, I do not know the man. After a while, one of the 
servants of the high priest, that was a relation of him whose 
ear Peter had cut off, said, Did not I see thee with him in the 
garden? Then Peter denied it again : and the second time the 
cock crew. And Jesus turned and looked upon Peter. And 
Peter remembered the words which Jesus had spoken to him, 
saying, Before the cock crow twice thou shalt three times deny 
that thou knowest me. And when he thought of it, he went out 
and wept bitterly. 

Then the high priest asked Jesus about his disciples, and 
about the gospel that he preached. Jesus answered, I taught in 
the synagogue and in the temple, where the Jews always go, 
and in secret have I taught nothing. Why askest thou me ? 
ask those who heard me what I said to them; they know what 
I said. When he had spoken these words one of the officers 
that stood by struck him with the palm of his hand, saying, 
Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus said to him, If I 
have spoken evil, tell those who should punish me; but if I 
have spoken well, why strikest thou me? 

Now the chief court of the Jews, which tried persons who dis¬ 
obeyed the law, used to meet in a room near the temple. It was 
called the Court, or Council, of the Sanhedrim, and was made 
up of seventy men. The high priest was among them, and the 
chief priests, and many of the scribes and elders. These men 
were the rulers of the Jews, and they punished in different ways 
persons who had disobeyed the law of Moses. But whenever 
they wanted to punish any one by putting him to death, they 
had to ask permission of the Roman governor; for the Jews 
being servants to the Romans, were not allowed to put any one 
to death without the governor’s consent. 

As soon as it was morning the men who had taken Jesus 
brought him before the council. There the chief priests, and 
scribes, and elders, tried to find false witnesses to speak against 
him. At last two false witnesses came, who said, This fellow 


608 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


said, I am able to destroy the temple and build it up again in 
three days. But Jesus did not answer them. Then the high 
priest arose, saying, Answerest thou nothing ? But Jesus was 
silent. And the high priest said, I ask thee to tell us whether 
thou art the Christ, the Son of God ? Jesus answered, I am. 
And I say unto you, Hereafter you shall see me sitting on the 



JESUS BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST. 


right hand of God, and coming back to earth again in the 
clouds of heaven. 

Then the high priest rent his clothes and said, What need 
have we of any more witnesses against him? You have heard 
the wicked blasphemy he speaks. What do you say his punish¬ 
ment should be ? And all the men in the council said he should 
be put to death. Then they did spit in his face, and mock him; 













THE GOSPELS . 


609 


and when they had blindfolded him they struck him with the 
palms of their hands, saying, Tell us, thou Christ, who it is that 
struck thee ? 

And after they had bound him, all the council rose and led 
Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. When they 
brought him into Pilate’s house they began to accuse him before 
the governor, saying, We found this fellow teaching the Jews to 
rebel against the Romans, and forbidding them to pay tribute 
to the emperor, and saying that he himself is Christ a king. 
Pilate asked him, Art thou a king ? Jesus answered, I am ; but 
my kingdom is not of this world, for then would my servants 
fight to save me from the Jews. 

And Pilate said to the chief priest and to the Jews who had 
brought him, I find no fault in this man. But they were the 
more fierce, and cried out, saying, He stirs up the people to do 
wrong throughout all Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem. When 
Pilate heard them speak of Galilee, he asked if Jesus came from 
there; and after they told him that he had come out of Galilee, 
he sent him to Herod, who was governor over that part of the 
land ; for Herod was in Jerusalem at this time. 

When Herod saw Jesus, he was glad, for he had long wanted 
to see him because he had heard many things of him. He hoped 
also, to see some miracle done by him. And Herod asked Jesus 
many questions; but Jesus answered him nothing. And the 
chief priests, and scribes, stood by and bitterly accused him. Then 
Herod with his soldiers made sport of him and mocked him, and 
put on him a purple robe, because he had said he was a king; 
for kings dressed in purple. Afterward Herod sent him back 
to Pilate again. Then Pilate called together the Jews, with the 
chief priests and rulers, and said to them, You have brought 
this man to me as one that stirs up the people to do wrong; but 
I, having questioned him before you, have found no fault in him. 
Neither has Herod ; for I sent you to him, but nothing for which 
he ought to die has been proved against him. 

Now every year, when the feast of the passover was held in 
Jerusalem, if any of the Jews were shut up in prison for dis¬ 
obeying the Romans, the Roman governor used to set one of 
39 


610 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


them free, and he allowed the Jews to say which prisoner it 
should be. He did this to please them, and make them more 
willing to let him rule over them. There was at this time in 
prison a Jew, named Barabbas, who had been put there for 
murder. And the people began to ask the governor to do for 
them as he had always done before, and set one of the prisoners 
free. Then Pilate said, Which one shall it be ? Barabbas, or 
Jesus, who is called Christ ? For he knew they had brought 
Jesus to be punished only because they hated him. While Pilate 
was speaking with them, his wife sent word to him, saying, Do 
no harm to that just man, for I have been much troubled this day 
in a dream concerning him. 

But the chief priests persuaded the Jews to ask that Barabbas 
might be set free. Pilate answered, What then shall I do with 
Jesus, who is called Christ ? They all said, Let him be cruci¬ 
fied. Pilate said, Why, what evil has he done ? But they cried 
out the more with loud voices, Crucify him! When Pilate saw 
that he could not persuade them to ask for Jesus, he took some 
water and washed his hands before the people, saying, I am not 
to blame for the death of this just man; see you to it. Then, 
answered all the Jews, Let the blame be on us and on our chil¬ 
dren. But washing his hands did not take the blame from 
Pilate; the sin was in his heart, because when he knew that 
Jesus w 7 as innocent, he would not let him go, but gave him up to 
be crucified, for fear the Jews might be offended and w T ant some 
one else for their governor. 

Now the Romans, before they crucified a man, used to scourge 
him. He was stripped to the waist, his hands were bound to a 
low post, or pillar, in front of him, so as to make him stoop for¬ 
ward ; and while he stood in this way, he was cruelly beaten with 
rods, or cords. Pilate, therefore, took Jesus and scourged him. 

Then the soldiers, who were to put him to death, led him into 
a room in the governor’s palace, and called together the whole 
band of soldiers to which they belonged. There they took off 
his outer garment, and to mock him, as Herod had done before, 
they put on him a purple robe. And when they had plaited a 
wreath of thorns, they put it on his head instead of a crown; 


THE GOSPELS . 


611 


and instead of a golden sceptre, such as kings held, they put a 
reed, or stick, in his right hand. Then they bowed down before 
him, pretending he was a king, and saying, Hail, King of the 
Jews! And they spat upon him, and took the reed, and struck 
him upon the head, and smote him with their hands. 



THE SOLDIERS MOCK JESUS. 


And now, after he had suffered all these things, Pilate hoped 
that the Jews might be willing to let him go. Therefore he spoke 
to them again, saying, I bring him out to you, to tell you once more 
that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus out before the 
multitude, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. 
And Pilate said to them, Behold the man! But when the 
chief priests and officers saw him, they cried out, Crucify him, 



































































612 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 



crucify him ! Pilate said to them, Take him yourselves, then, 
and crucify him, for I find no fault in him. The Jews an¬ 
swered, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, be¬ 
cause he said that he was the Son of God. 

When Pilate heard them say this he was the more afraid to 
put Jesus to death, and he said to him, From what place didst 
thou come ? But Jesus gave him no answer. Then said Pilate, 
Wilt thou not speak to me? Knowest thou not that I have 
power to crucify thee, and power to let thee go ? Jesus an¬ 
swered, Thou canst do only that to me which God will let thee 
do. From that time Pilate tried to set him free. Now the 


PILATE SAID, BEHOLD THE MAN! 

emperor of Rome was named Caesar. He was a jealous and 
cruel man, and Pilate feared him. When the Jews saw that 
Pilate wanted to set Jesus free, they cried out, If thou let this 
man go thou art not Caesar’s friend, because he said he was 
king instead of Caesar. After they said this Pilate was afraid 
to let Jesus go, lest the Jews might tell Caesar. Therefore he 
gave him to them to be crucified. 
















THE GOSPELS 


613 


And Judas Iscariot who had betrayed him, when he saw 
that Jesus must die, w r as afraid at what he had done, and he 
brought the thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests 
and elders, saying, I have sinned, because I have betrayed one 
who is innocent. They answered, What is that to us ? see thou 



JUDAS HANGS HIMSELF. 


to that. Then Judas threw down the thirty pieces of silver in 
the court of the temple, and went away and hanged himself. 
And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said to one 
another, It is against the law to put them into the treasury at 

















614 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 

the temple, because they were paid for a man who is to be put 
to death. Therefore they bought with them the potter’s field 
to bury strangers in. 

And the soldiers took off* the purple robe from Jesus and put 
his own clothes on him, and led him away to put him to death. 


They made a man named Simon, whom they met coming out of 
the country, help him carry the cross. And there followed him 
a great multitude of people, and of women, who mourned and wept 
for him. But Jesus, turning to them said, that they should not 
weep for him, but for themselves and for their children, because 
of the sorrows that were coming on the Jews. 


THEY NAIL JESUS TO THE CROSS. 













THE GOSPEL'S . 


615 


And they brought him to a place called Calvary, which was 
a little w T ay outside of the gates of Jerusalem. There they 
nailed his hands and his feet to the cross and crucified him. 
While they were crucifying him Jesus prayed for them, saying, 
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do! He 
meant, that they did not know how great their sin was in crucify¬ 
ing him, the Son of God—or how fearful the punishment would 
be. And they gave him vinegar to drink mixed with gall. 
This mixture was given to persons who were crucified to make 
them sleep, and feel their pains less. But when Jesus had tasted 
it he would not drink, because he was suffering those pains for 
us, that we might be forgiven, and he was willing to bear them 
all. And with him they crucified two thieves, one on his right 
hand and the other on his left. 

Now persons who were crucified did not die at once; they 
lived for many hours, hanging on the cross. So Jesus, although 
he was crucified in the morning, hung in agony until the after¬ 
noon. And the soldiers who had crucified him, sat down and 
w T atched him there. And they took his garments and divided 
them among themselves; but for his coat they cast lots. And 
upon the cross, above his head, Pilate set up this writing, 
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 
These words, then, read many of the Jews, for the place where 
he was crucified was near the city. And those that passed by felt 
no pity for him, but shook their heads at him, saying, If thou 
be the Son of God, come down from the cross. The chief priests 
and the scribes also mocked him, and said, He trusted in God, 
let God help him now if he will have him. 

And one of the thieves who were crucified with him spoke 
wickedly to Jesus, saying, If thou art the Christ, save thyself 
and us. But the other thief answered him, and said, Dost thou 
not fear God, seeing thou also art soon to die ? And we deserve 
to die for our wicked acts, but this man has done nothing 
wrong. Then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou 
comest into thy kingdom. Jesus answered him, To-day shalt 
thou be with me in Paradise. Jesus meant that his sins were 
forgiven, and that as soon as he should die, even on that 


616 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


very day, his soul would go to the happy place where Jesus 
himself was going. 

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother and the 
apostle whom Jesus loved, who leaned on his breast at the table 
while they were eating the feast of the passover. And because 
he was going to die and leave her, Jesus wanted that apostle to 
take care of his mother. Therefore he told him to let her be 
the same to him, from that time, as if she were his own mother. 
And he told his mother to let that apostle be to her as if he w T ere 
her son. And from that hour that apostle, whose name was 
John, took her to his own home to take care of her and give 
her all that she needed. 

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the 
land till the ninth hour; that is, from twelve until three o’clock, 
when the sun shines brightest on other days, it was dark over 
all the land on that day. God sent that darkness because his 
Son was being put to death by wicked men. And about the 
ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, My God, My 
God, why hast thou forsaken me? He said this, because, as 
w T e believe, God seemed then to turn away from him, displeased, 
as our father turns away dipleased from us when we have dis¬ 
obeyed him. Yet Jesus had not disobeyed God. But we have 
done so, and he was taking the blame upon himself. There¬ 
fore God turned away from him as though Jesus himself had 
sinned. And when Jesus saw this it grieved him more than 
all his sufferings, and he cried out. 

And one of the men who were standing near, when he heard 
him cry, ran and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar, and 
lifted it up on a reed to his mouth and gave him to drink. 
When Jesus, therefore, had taken the vinegar, he said, It is 
finished. He meant that the work which he had come to do, 
and the punishment which he had come to bear, for us, w r ere 
finished. And he bowed his head and died. Then the curtain, 
called the veil, which hung in the temple, was torn in two from 
the top to the bottom ; the earth shook, the rocks were broken 
in pieces, and the graves were opened, and many of those persons 
who, while they lived, had served the Lord, arose and came out 


THE GOSPELS. 


617 



THE CRUCIFIXION 




















































































































618 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE 


of their graves after Jesus himself had risen from the dead ; and 
they went into Jerusalem, and were seen by many there. 

When the Roman soldiers who were watching Jesus saw 
these things that were done, they feared greatly, and said, 
Surely this man was the Son of God. 


MATT. XXVII, XXVIII. MARK XV, XVI. LUKE 
XXIII, XXIV. JOHN XIX.-XXI. 1 COR. 

XV. ACTS I. 

A. D. 33. 


THE CRUCIFIED ONES ARE KILLED. JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA BURIES 
JESUS. A WATCH IS SET AT THE SEPULCHRE. AN ANGEL ROLLS 
AWAY THE STONE FROM THE DOOR, AND JESUS RISES FROM THE 
DEAD. HE APPEARS TO HIS APOSTLES, AND ASCENDS TO HEAVEN. 


'VTOW the Jews who were in the city did not know that 
-L' Jesus was dead, and because the next day was the Sab¬ 
bath, and they were unwilling to let the bodies hang on the 
cross during the Sabbath day, they begged Pilate to send and 
kill Jesus and the two thieves who were crucified with him, so 
that they could be taken down and buried before the Sabbath 
began. Then Pilate commanded the soldiers, and they went 
and broke the legs of the two thieves to kill them, but w T hen 
they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they 
broke not his legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced 
his side, and there came out from it blood and water. 

At the place where Jesus was crucified was a garden, and in 
the garden a new sepulchre in which no one had ever been 
buried. It was a cave cut out of a rock, and belonged to a 
rich man named Joseph who came from the city of Arimathea. 
Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, though he had never before let 
it be known because he was afraid of the Jews. But now, after 
Jesus was dead, he went boldly to Pilate and begged for his 
body. Then Pilate commanded that the body should be given 
him. And Joseph took it down from the cross and wrapped it 
in new, fine linen that he had bought, and laid it in the sepul¬ 
chre, and rolled a great stone to the door and left it there. And 
Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, the apos- 



THE GOSPELS. 


619 


tie, were sitting near the sepulchre and saw where Jesus was 
laid. And they went away to rest during the Sabbath, and then 
to come back with spices and ointments to put upon his body; 


THE BURIAL OF JESUS. 

because the Jews, when they buried their dead, used to prepare 
the bodies in that way. 

After Jesus was buried, the chief priests and the Pharisees 




































620 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


came to Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that while that de¬ 
ceiver was yet alive, he said, After three days I will rise again. 
We pray thee therefore that the sepulchre may be watched 
and made safe, until the third day, lest his disciples should 
come in the night and steal him away, and then go and tell 
the people he had risen from the dead. Pilate answered, You 
shall have soldiers to guard the sepulchre, go and make it as 
sure as you can. So they went and made the sepulchre sure, 
setting soldiers to watch it, and sealing the stone that was rolled 
to the door. 

But that night the angel of the Lord came down from heaven 
and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. His 
face was bright like lightning, and his garments were as white 
as snow; the soldiers trembled for fear of him, and were weak 
and helpless as dead men. And they left the sepulchre and 
went into the city again. 

But very early in the morning, as soon as it began to be 
light on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the 
other Mary, and Salome, came to the sepulchre, bringing the 
spices which they had made ready. As they were coming, they 
said to one another, Who shall roll away the stone for us from 
the door of the sepulchre? for it was very great. But when 
they came near, they found the stone was rolled away. And 
going into the sepulchre they saw an angel clothed in a long 
white garment, and they were affrighted. He said to them, Be 
not affrighted: You seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not 
here, he is risen. See the place where they laid him. But go 
tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead, and that he will 
go before you into Galilee; there shall you see him. 

And they went out quickly and fled from the sepulchre with 
fear and yet with great gladness, and ran to bring his disciples 
word. As they went Jesus met them and spoke to them, say¬ 
ing, Rejoice. And they came and held him by the feet, and 
worshipped him. He said to them, Be not afraid ; but tell my 
brethren that they go into Galilee ; there shall they see me. 

And the women came and told all these things to the eleven 
apostles, and to the disciples who were with them. And Peter 


THE GOSPELS. 


621 


and John, when they heard what the women said, came in haste 
to the sepulchre. They ran both of them together, but John 
did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulchre; and stooping 
down and looking in at the door, he saw the linen clothes which 



THE WOMEN AT THE SEPULCHRE. 


Jesus had worn, lying there, yet he did not go in. But Peter, 
when he came, went into the sepulchre and saw the linen clothes, 
and the napkin which had been wrapt about the head of Jesus, 
not lying with the linen clothes, but folded together in a place 
by itself. Then John went in also, and he saw and believed 
that Jesus was risen. For before that time they did not under¬ 
stand the words which he had spoken to them while he was yet 
alive, saying, that after three days he would rise from the dead. 
And the apostles went away to their own homes. 

Now after Jesus was risen some of the soldiers who had 
guarded the sepulchre went to the chief priests, and told them 
of all that had happened. Then the chief priests and elders 
gave them a large sum of money, and said to them, Do you go 
and tell the people that his disciples came at night and stole him 

























622 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



away while you slept. If the governor should hear of it and 
want to punish you for sleeping (because the Roman soldiers 
were put to death if they slept while on guard), we will persuade 
him to pardon you. So the soldiers took the money and did as 
the chief priests told them; therefore the Jews, since that time, 
have always said that the disciples of Jesus came and stole him 
away in the night, while the soldiers were asleep. 

On the first day of the week when Jesus was risen from the 
dead, two of his disciples were walking together to a village 
called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 
And they talked with one another of all the things that had 
been done. And it was so, that while they were talking, Jesus 
came near and went with them. But he was changed so that 
they did not know him. And he said to them, What is it that 


you are saying to one another as you walk, and are sad ? One 
of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering, said to him, Art 
thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, that thou hast not heard of 
the things which have happened there in these days ? He said, 
What things? They answered him, Concerning Jesus of Naza- 


JESUS MEKTS THE DISCI PEES GOING TO EMMAUS. 















THE GOSPELS. 


623 



reth, who was a prophet, and did great miracles before all the 
people; how the chief priests and the rulers have taken him 
and crucified him. But we hoped that he was the one who 
would set the children of Israel free from the Romans; and, 
beside all this, to-day is the third day since he was put to death. 
Yes, and some of the women who belong to our company, and 
who went early to the sepulchre, have made us astonished by 


JESUS WALKED ON AS THOUGH HE WOULD GO FURTHER. 

saying that his body was not there, and that they saw a vision 
of angels who told them he was alive. And some of the men 
also who were with us, went afterward to the sepulchre and found 
it was as the women had said; but him they saw not. 

Then Jesus answered the two disciples and told them, that the 
things which had happened in Jerusalem seemed strange to 
them, because they did not understand what the prophets had 
written. For was it not to be expected, Jesus asked, from 
what the prophets had said about Christ, that he should be 
put to death, and afterward should rise from the dead and go 










624 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 

up to heaven ? Then he began and explained to them what 
was written about himself in all the Scriptures. But still the 
two disciples did not know him. 

And as they came near the village to which they were going, 
he walked on, as though he would leave them and go further. 
But they, supposing him to be some traveller, said to him, Come 
and stay with us to-night, for it is near evening and the day has 
almost gone. Then he went with them into the house. And 
while they were at supper Jesus took bread, and after he 
had thanked God for it, he broke it and gave it to them. 


THE DISCIPLES KNOW JESUS IN BREAKING THE BREAD. 

But as he did this they knew him; and suddenly he was gone 
out of their sight. 

Then they said to one another, Were not our hearts interested 
while he talked with us by the way, and explained to us what 
the prophets have written ? And they rose up that same hour 
and went back to Jerusalem, and found the eleven apostles 
gathered together there, and others with them. And the two dis¬ 
ciples told them how they had seen Jesus and talked with him, 















THE GOSPELS. 


625 


and how they had known him as he was breaking the bread. 
While they were speaking, Jesus himself stood in the midst of 
them, and said, Peace be unto you. But they were frightened, 
for they thought it was a spirit. And he said to them, Why are 
you troubled ? and why does fear come into your hearts ? Look 
at my hands and my feet; touch me, and see that it is I, my¬ 
self, for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see me have. 
When he had spoken these words he showed them his hands 
and his feet, with the marks of the nails in them. And 
while they could hardly believe for joy, and wondered, he 
said to them, Have you here any food ? And they gave him 
a piece of a broiled fish and of an honey-comb, and he took 
it and did eat before them. 

And he said to them, I told you while I was yet with you, 
that all those things must be fulfilled which are written in the 
Scriptures about me. Then he made the apostles understand 
those parts of the Scriptures which said he should die for 
the people, and rise again from the dead. For although they 
had read those parts before they had never, till now, been 
able to understand them. 

And Jesus said to them, Thus it was written about me, and 
therefore it was needful for me to suffer death, and to rise up 
from the dead on the third day, so that the people of all nations 
might be told how I have died for them ; and that if they will 
repent and believe on me, they shall have their sins forgiven. 
And you, my apostles, are the ones who know of these things; 
on that account I send you forth to tell the nations about them. 
Go you, therefore, into all the world and tell this good news to 
every creature. Whoever believes in me and is baptized, shall 
be saved ; but he that believes not shall be lost. 

But Thomas, one of the apostles, was not with the others 
when Jesus came. They therefore told him, afterward, that 
they had seen the Lord. But Thomas answered, Except I 
shall see in his hands the marks of the nails, and thrust my 
hand into the wound that the spear made in his side, I will 
not believe it was he. 

And after eight days the apostles were again gathered to- 
40 



626 THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 

gether, Thomas also being with them, and the doors ot the 
room were shut. Then came Jesus and stood in the midst, and 


JESUS APPEARS TO THOMAS. 

said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither 
thy finger and touch my hands, and reach hither thy hand and 
thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believe that I 
have risen again. When Thomas heard^his voice and knew 
that it was Jesus, he said, My Lord and my God. Jesus said 
to him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me thou hast believed; 
but I say unto thee, Blessed are those who are willing to believe 
even though they have not seen me. 

After these things Jesus showed himself again to his disciples 
at the sea of Galilee. There were together Peter, and Thomas, 
Nathaniel, and James, and John, and two other of his disciples. 
Peter said to them, I am going a-fishing. They answered, We 
will go with thee. They went, therefore, into a boat and sailed 
out on the sea, but that night caught nothing. When the morn¬ 
ing had come, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples did 
not know it was Jesus. And he spoke to them, saying, Have 
you any food ? They answered, No. He said, Cast the net on 











THE GOSPELS. 


627 


the right side of the boat and you shall find some. They did as 
he commanded and then were not able to draw up the net, be¬ 
cause of the multitude of fishes that were caught in it. 

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is 
the Lord. When Peter heard it was the Lord he fastened his 
fisherman’s coat around him and cast himself into the sea, that he 
might hasten to the shore. The other disciples came in the boat, 
dragging the net with fishes. As soon as they had come to land 
they saw a fire burning there, and fishes laid upon it, and bread. 



JESUS APPEARS TO THE APOSTLES BY THE SEA OF GALILEE. 


Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish which you have caught. 
Then Peter went and drew the net up on the land, and it was 
full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three; yet, although 
there were so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to 
them, Come and eat. And none of the disciples dared ask him, 
Who art thou ? for they knew that it was the Lord. This was 
the third time he had shown himself to them since he had risen 
from the dead. 

At another time he met them on a mountain in Galilee, where 
he had told them to go that they might see him, and when they 
saw him they worshipped him. And he spoke to them, saying, 
God has given me all power, both in heaven and in earth. Go 










628 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


you, therefore, and preach the gospel to the people of all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to do all those things that 
I have commanded you. 

And not only to his disciples did Jesus show himself, but he 
was seen also by more than five hundred of those who believed 
on him, at one time. And when forty days were past after he 
had risen from the dead, he met his apostles again at Jerusalem. 
And when he had talked with them, and commanded them to 



JESUS ASCENDS TO HEAVEN. 


wait there until the Holy Spirit should be sent upon them, he 
led them out as far as Bethany. And he lifted up his hands 
and blessed them. And it was so, that while he blessed them, 
he was taken from them and carried up into heaven; and he 
went into a cloud out of their sight. And while they looked 
toward heaven as he went up, behold, two angels stood by them, 
in white garments, who said, Ye men of Galilee, Why stand you 
gazing up into heaven ? This same Jesus who is taken up from 
you into heaven, shall come down again, in the clouds, as you 
have seen him go up into heaven. 












THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


629 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


CHAPTERS I.-V. 

A. D. 33. 


THE APOSTLES RETURN TO JERUSALEM. MATTHIAS IS CHOSEN IN PLACE 
OF JUDAS. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SENT UPON THE DISCIPLES. PETER 
HEALS A LAME MAN AT THE TEMPLE. AN ANGEL OPENS THE PRISON 
DOORS AND SETS THE APOSTLES FREE. ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA ARE 
SLAIN. THE APOSTLES ARE IMPRISONED AND SCOURGED. 


A FTER Jesus was taken up into heaven the apostles returned 
to Jerusalem, as he had commanded, to wait there until 
the Holy Spirit should be sent upon them. And they gathered 
together in an upper room, and there prayed and gave thanks to 
God. Other disciples also were with them, the number of those 
who met together being about a hundred and twenty. 

Then Peter stood up among them and said, Men and brethren, 
the w r ords which the prophet spoke about Judas must come true, 
for it is written of him in the Scriptures that he should be put 
away from being an apostle, and another should take his place. 
Therefore of these men who have believed in Jesus, and been with 
him ever since he was baptized by John until he was taken up 
into heaven, one must be chosen who can go with us, and preach 
to the people about Jesus, and tell them that he has risen up 
from the dead. And the disciples agreed to what Peter said. 
Then they took two men, named Joseph and Matthias, and 
prayed, saying, Thou, Lord, who canst see every man’s heart, 
show us which of these two thou hast chosen. And they cast 
lots to know which one it would be; and the lot fell on Matthias, 
and after that he was counted with the eleven apostles. 

When the day for the feast of harvest, or Pentecost, was come, 
the disciples were all met together in one place. And suddenly 
they heard a sound like the rushing of a great wind from heav¬ 
en, which filled the house where they were sitting. And there 
appeared in the room what seemed to be flames of fire, in the 
shape of tongues, and one of these flames rested on the head of 
each of the disciples. Then the Holy Spirit came into them, as 
Jesus had promised, and they all began to speak in other lan- 


630 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



guages, such as they had never understood before. The Holy 
Spirit made them able to do this, so that they might go to far 
off countries and preach the gospel there. 


Now there were at that time in Jerusalem, Jews who had 
come from the countries where those languages were spoken; 
and when they heard the disciples, they were astonished, and 
asked, Do not all these men live in Galilee ? How, then, are 
they able to speak the languages of those countries where we 
were born ? Others, who did not understand the words that the 
disciples spoke, mocked them, and said they had been drinking 
wine, and were drunken. 

But Peter, standing up with the other apostles, said to the 
people, These men are not drunken as you suppose, but God has 
sent his Holy Spirit into them. Therefore listen, ye men of 
Israel, to what I now say: Jesus of Nazareth, who did great 
miracles among you, which showed that God had sent him, you 
have taken and wickedly have put to death. But he has risen 


THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ON THE APOSTLES. 











THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


631 


up from the dead, for it is written in the Scriptures that God 
would raise him up. And we, his apostles, have seen him since 
he rose. Therefore you, and all the children of Israel, may 
surely know that this Jesus, whom you have crucified, is the 
Saviour that was to come into the world. 

When the Jews heard these words they were filled with 
sorrow for what they had done, and they said to Peter and the 
other apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do ? Peter 
answered them, Repent of your sins, and be baptized, and the 
Holy Ghost shall be given to you also; for God has promised 
to send him to you, and your children, and to all who hear and 
obey him when he calls. Then great numbers believed on the 
Lord Jesus, so that about three thousand persons were baptized 
that same day. These all came and met together with the 
apostles, and with the rest of the disciples; and such as had 
money gave to those who had none. And they went to the 
temple to worship there, and did eat together in each other's 
houses, being full of joy: and God made all the people kind to 
them, and every day, others who repented and believed, came to 
the apostles and were baptized. 

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the 
hour of prayer. And a poor man, who had been lame ever 
since he was born, was carried every day by his friends, and laid 
at the gate, called the Beautiful Gate of the temple, that he 
might ask alms, or gifts, of those who came up to worship. This 
man seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked 
them for alms. Peter, fixing his eyes upon him, said, Look on 
us. And the man attended, for he supposed they would give 
something to him. Then Peter said, I have no silver and gold, 
but what I have I will give to thee. I tell thee, in the name of 
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, to rise up and walk. And Peter took 
him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his 
feet and ankle-bones were made strong, and he, leaping up, stood 
and walked and went with them into the temple, walking, and 
leaping, and praising God. 

And all the people saw him, and knew that it was he who 
sat to ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. And 


632 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



spoke to them, saying, You men of Israel, why wonder you at 
this ? or why do you look so earnestly on us, as if we had made 
this man to walk ? It is Jesus who has given us the power to 
make him well. Therefore, brethren, repent, and believe on 
Jesus, that when he shall come again at the Judgment day, 
your sins may be forgiven. 

Now there was among the Jews a sect, or society of men, called 
Sadducees, who did not believe there would ever be any Judg¬ 
ment day, or that the dead would ever rise up from their graves. 
Some of these Sadducees belonged to the Council of the Sanhe¬ 
drim, and were rulers over the people. And while Peter and John 
were speaking at the temple, they came there, being angry, be¬ 
cause the apostles preached about Jesus and the resurrection, that 
is, the rising up from the dead. And they put them in prison to 
keep them till the next day, for it was now evening. Yet many 
of the people who heard the apostles, believed, so that the num¬ 
ber of them was about five thousand. 


they were filled with wonder at what had been done, and ran 
together to the place where the apostles stood. Then Peter 

























THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


633 


The next day all the council met together. And when they 
had brought in Peter and John, they asked them, saying, By 
what power did you heal the lame man? Peter answered, Ye 
rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If you ask us about 
the good deed done to the lame man, and how he was healed, 
we tell you it was by the power of Jesus of Nazareth, whom 
you crucified, that he was made well. For though you counted 
Jesus as nothing while he was on earth, yet God has made him 
to be the ruler over us all. Neither is there any other person 
in all the world who can save us from being punished for our 
sins, except him. 

When the rulers saw that Peter and John were poor and un¬ 
learned men, and yet were bold, and without fear, in speaking 
before them, they were astonished. But seeing the man who had 
been healed standing near them, they could not deny what the 
apostles had done. Then commanding them to go for a little 
while out of the council, they talked among themselves, saying, 
What shall we do to these men, for that they have done a great 
miracle is known to all the people in Jerusalem, and we cannot 
contradict it. But that the news of it may spread no further, 
let us say that we will punish them if they preach any more to 
the people. Then they called Peter and John, and commanded 
them not to speak at all, nor teach about Jesus. But Peter and 
John answered them, saying, Whether it is right for us to obey 
you more than God, you yourselves, may judge; for we cannot 
help teaching the people about Jesus, and telling them of the 
things that we have, heard him speak, and seen him do. So 
when the rulers had threatened again to punish them, they let 
them go because they could not prove any evil against them. 

And being let go, Peter and John went to the other apostles, 
and to the disciples who were with them, and told of what the 
rulers had said. Then they all prayed together, saying, Lord, 
help us, that we may not be afraid to preach the gospel; and 
give us power to do miracles also in Jesus’ name. And when 
they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gath¬ 
ered together. In this way God let them know that he heard 
their prayer and would give them what they asked him for. 


634 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE 


And they went out and preached again to the people, with bold¬ 
ness, not fearing what the rulers could do to them. And many 
heard them, and believed, and all who believed met together, 
helping and loving one another; and as many as had houses or 
lands sold them, and brought the money to the apostles that they 
might give alms to those who were poor. 

But a man named Ananias, and Sapphira his wife, having 
land, sold it, and agreed together that they would bring part 
of the money to the apostles, and tell them that they brought 
all. They did this to deceive the apostles, and make them be¬ 
lieve they were disciples of Jesus, while, in their hearts, they 
were not. But God told Peter of what they had done. There¬ 
fore when Ananias came with the money, and told Peter this 
lie, Peter said to him, Ananias was not the land thy own before 
it was sold, so that thou didst not have to sell it ? And was not 
the money thy own after it was sold, to keep if thou didst want 
it ? Why hast thou let Satan tempt thee to lie to the Holy 
Ghost ? Peter said that Ananias had lied to the Holy Ghost, 
because the Holy Ghost was with Peter and the other apostles, 
helping them to teach the disciples, and to set up Christ’s king¬ 
dom on earth. 

Then Peter told Ananias that when he lied to the Holy Ghost 
he lied to God. Peter said this, because the Holy Ghost is God; 
not God the Father, nor God the Son, but one with them, God 
the Holy Ghost. As soon as Peter had spoken these words, 
Ananias fell down dead. So the Lord punished him for his 
sin. And when the disciples saw that he was dead, the young 
men who were there took him and put grave-clothes upon him, 
and carried him out and buried him. 

About three hours afterward, his wife, Sapphira, not know¬ 
ing what had happened, came to the place where the disciples 
were. And Peter asked her, saying, Tell me, was the money thy 
husband brought us, all that you received for the land ? She 
answered, Yes. And Peter said to her, Why have you agreed 
together to try and deceive the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the 
men are at the door who have just buried thy husband, and 
they shall also carry thee out. Then she fell down at Peter’s 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


635 


feet and died; and the young men came in and found her dead, 
and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 



DEATH OP ANANIAS. 

And great fear came upon all who heard of these things, so 
that no others dared try to deceive the apostles as Ananias and 
Sapphira had done. And the apostles preached to the people 
and did miracles among them, and many believed, both of men 
and women. And they brought out sick persons on beds and 
couches, and laid them in the streets, that if Peter could not 
touch them, at least his shadow might fall on them as he passed 
by, to make them well. There came also a multitude out of the 
cities around Jerusalem, bringing with them those who were sick 
and who had evil spirits, and they were every one healed. 

Then the high priest and the Sadducees, being angry at the 
apostles, took hold of them and put them in the common prison. 
But in the night, the angel of the Lord came down and opened 
the prison doors and brought them out, and said, Go up to the 
temple and preach the gospel to the people. And they did as 



























636 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the angel commanded; for early in the morning they went up to 
the temple and preached there. But the high priest and the Sad- 
ducees, not knowing what the angel had done, called the council 
together, and sent to the prison to have the apostles brought. 
And the officers went to the prison, but did not find them. Then 
they came back to the council, saying, The prison, truly, we found 
shut, and the guards were keeping watch before the doors, but 
the men for whom you sent us were not there. 

And the rulers in the council wondered what this could mean. 
But while they were in doubt about it, there came a messenger 
who said, The men whom you put in prison, are standing in the 
temple, teaching the people. Then the officers went and brought 
the apostles, yet without doing them any harm, lest the people 
should be angry. And when they had set them before the coun¬ 
cil the high priest asked them, saying, Did we not command you 
to speak no more about Jesus ? But you have not obeyed us. 
Then Peter and the other apostles answered, and said, We ought 
to obey God rather than men. That Jesus whom you slew on 
the cross, God has raised up again, as a Saviour, to give the Jews 
new and penitent hearts, and forgive them their sins. And we, 
his apostles, are sent to tell you of these things. 

When the high priest and the rulers heard what the apostles 
said, they were filled with madness against them, and talked 
with one another about putting them to death. Then stood 
up one of the rulers, a learned man named Gamaliel, who was 
much thought of by all the Jews, and he commanded that 
the apostles should be sent out of the council for a little while. 
When they had gone, Gamaliel said, Ye rulers of Israel, be 
careful what you do to these men. For a good while ago, a 
man named Theudas rose up, pretending that he was some great 
person, and about four hundred men followed him and obeyed 
what he told them. But before long he was slain, and all who 
had obeyed him separated from one another. Afterward 
another man, named Judas, of Galilee, persuaded many persons 
to follow him, but he also perished, and those who had gone 
with him were scattered. And now, I say to you, let these men 
alone and do them no harm ; for if what they teach be untrue it 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


637 


will soon come to nothing; but if God has sent them to speak 
to the people you cannot stop them, and if you try to do so 
you will be fighting against God. 

And the men in the council agreed to what Gamaliel said. 
Yet they scourged the apostles, and commanded them not to 
preach any more, before they would let them go. Then the 
apostles went out of the council rejoicing that they were allowed 
to suffer pain for Jesus’ sake. For by this time they had learned 
that Jesus did not come to be an earthly king, and that they 
would not be made rich and great by preaching his gospel, but 
would stay poor, and be persecuted like him, and afterward 
rewarded when he should take them to heaven. 


CHAPTERS VI.-IX. 

A. D. 33-38. 

SEVEN MEN ARE CHOSEN AS DEACONS. STEPHEN IS STONED. THE DIS¬ 
CIPLES FLEE TO OTHER COUNTRIES. PHILIP PREACHES IN SAMARIA ; 
HE BAPTIZES THE EUNUCH. SAUL IS CONVERTED, HE PREACHES THE 
GOSPEL. PETER HEALS ENEAS OF THE PALSY, AND RAISES DORCAS 
FROM THE DEAD. 

W E have read that the disciples who had houses or lands, 
sold them and brought the money to the apostles, that 
they might give alms to the poor. Now there were among the 
disciples some poor widows, who complained that their share of 
the alms was not given them. Then the apostles called all the 
disciples together and said, It is not right that we should leave 
off preaching the gospel to attend to giving out alms; therefore do 
you choose, from among yourselves, seven men who are honest 
and prudent, and full of the Holy Spirit, and let them take the 
money, instead of-us, and attend to this business. But we will 
spend all our time in preaching and praying to God. 

What the apostles said pleased the disciples, and they chose 
seven men who were called deacons. Their names were Stephen 
and Philip, Prochorus and Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and 
Nicolas. These seven the disciples brought to the apostles, 
who prayed for them, that God would help them and give 
them wisdom in attending to the work they were chosen for. 
When they had prayed for them they laid their hands on 



638 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the heads of each one of them, for so the apostles used to do 
to those persons whom they sent out to work, and preach 
among the people. 

After this many were baptized, and great numbers of the 
priests believed. And Stephen, one of the seven deacons, not 
only waited on the poor, but he preached to the people and did 
great miracles among them. Then some of the Jews who would 
not believe, being angry, took him before the council. There 
they brought false witnesses to accuse him, who said, This 
man ceaseth not to speak wicked words against the temple, 
and God’s law. And the high priest asked him, saying, Are 
these things so ? Stephen answered, Men and brethren, listen 
to me. A great while ago God spoke to our father Abraham 
and told him to go away from the land where he was born, 
and where he then lived, to another land which God said he 
would show him. Then Abraham left his own land and came 
into the land of Canaan, where you now dwell. And God 
promised to give this land to him, and to his descendants after 
he should die. God said also, that Abraham’s descendants 
should live in a country that was not theirs four hundred 
years, and that the people would treat them very cruelly. 
Yet God told Abraham, he would punish the people who 
treated them so, and afterward would bring Abraham’s de¬ 
scendants back to the land of Canaan. 

And God made a covenant, or agreement, with Abraham and 
his descendants, and promised to be their God. And he gave 
Abraham a son whose name was called Isaac. And Isaac had 
a son called Jacob; and Jacob had twelve sons who were called 
the twelve patriarchs, of whom Joseph was one. And Joseph’s 
brethren, because they were jealous of him, sold him to the Ish- 
maelites who carried him down into Egypt. But God was with 
him and caused Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to be kind to him; 
and Pharaoh made Joseph governor over Egypt. 

And there came a great famine in Egypt and Canaan, and 
Joseph’s brethren had nothing for themselves or their families 
to eat. But Jacob, their father, heard there was corn in Egypt, 
and he sent them into that land to buy food. When they came 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


639 


there Joseph knew them, and he told Pharaoh of them. Then 
Joseph sent them to bring their father, their wives, and their 
children, down into Egypt. And Jacob (who was also called 
Israel) came into Egypt and died there, and afterward was car¬ 
ried back into Canaan to be buried in the sepulchre which Abra¬ 
ham had bought of Ephron the Hittite. 

But Joseph and his brethren still lived in the land of Egypt. 
And after many years their descendants grew to be a great many 
people. And another king ruled over Egypt who had never 
known Joseph. This king was very cruel to the Israelites and 
commanded his servants to take their little children and kill 
them. At this time Moses was born ; he was very beautiful and 
his mother loved him, and she hid him for three months so that 
the Egyptians might not take him. Then when she could hide 
him no longer, she laid him in an ark beside the river. There 
Pharaoh’s daughter found him; and she pitied him and took 
him to her house to bring him up as her own son; and he was 
taught in all the learning of the Egyptians. 

But when he was forty years old he went out to visit his 
brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing an Egyptian treat 
one of them cruelly, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in 
the sand ; for Moses thought the children of Israel would under¬ 
stand that God had sent him to set them free from the Egyp¬ 
tians, but they understood not. When Pharaoh heard what 
Moses had done he tried to kill him, but Moses fled into the 
land of Midian where Pharaoh could not find him. 

After he had been in that land forty years he saw on mount 
Sinai a flame of fire in a bush, yet the bush was not burned. 
When Moses saw it he wondered at the sight. And as he turned 
to look at it God spoke to him out of the bush, saying, I am the 
God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, 
and the God of Jacob; and Moses trembled and hid his face, for 
he was afraid to look upon God. And God told him that he 
had seen the affliction of the children of Israel, and had come 
down to deliver them. Then God commanded Moses to go and 
bring the children of Israel out of Egypt, and he made Moses 
ruler over them. 


640 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And Moses did as God commanded; he went into Egypt and 
when he had called down great punishments on Pharaoh and 
his people, he brought the children of Israel out of that land 
through the Red Sea; and afterward led them forty years 
through the wilderness. This is that Moses, Stephen said, who 
received God’s laws on mount Sinai that he might teach them 
to our fathers. Yet our fathers would not obey him; they 
tried to put him away from ruling over them, and wanted to 
go back into Egypt. For while he was on mount Sinai they 
asked Aaron to make an idol for them, saying, As for this 
Moses, the man that brought us up out of Egypt, we know not 
what has become of him. And Aaron made them a golden calf, 
and they offered up sacrifices to it and worshipped it. Then 
God was angry with them and allowed them to go on worship¬ 
ping idols, but he said that they should be carried away, as 
captives, to Babylon. 

After Stephen had spoken these things to the rulers in the 
council, and told them about the wickedness of their fathers, he 
said to them, You are like your fathers. Which of the prophets 
did they not persecute ? They killed those who were sent to 
tell them that Jesus was coming, and now you have slain that 
Just One himself. 

When the men in the council heard these words, they were 
filled with rage against Stephen, and gnashed on him with their 
teeth like wild beasts. But he, looking up toward heaven, saw 
a glorious light there, and Jesus standing at the right hand of 
God. And he said, I see the heavens opened, and Jesus stand¬ 
ing at the right hand of God. Then they cried out with loud 
voices against him, and stopped their ears that they might not 
hear his words; and they brought him out of the city and stoned 
him. While they were stoning him, he kneeled down on the 
ground and prayed, saying, Lord forgive them for this sin. 

Now whenever a man was stoned by the Jews the persons 
who had borne witness against him always cast the first stone. 
And so the false witnesses who had spoken against Stephen, cast 
the first stones at him. They took off* their outer garments that 
they might use their arms more freely in doing this, and they 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


641 


laid those garments down on the ground by the feet of a young 
man named Saul, for him to keep them safe till they were ready 
to put them on again. 

After this there was a great persecution against the disciples. 



THE STONING OF STKFHEN. 


But good men took Stephen’s dead body, and mourned over him, 
and buried him. As for Saul, the young man who had kept the 
clothes of the witnesses, he did much harm; for he went into 
41 

















642 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE 


every house to find those who believed on Jesus, and when he 
had found them, he took them, both men and women, and put 
them in prison. Therefore the disciples fled out of Jerusalem 
to different parts of the land, and to other countries; but wher¬ 
ever they went, they preached the gospel to the people. 

And Philip, another of the seven deacons, went down to the 
city of Samaria, and preached to the people there; and they lis¬ 
tened to him, seeing the miracles he did. For unclean spirits, 
crying with loud voices, came out when he commanded them, and 
persons who were sick with the palsy, or lame, he made well. 
Therefore there was great joy in the city and many believed and 
were baptized, both of men and women. When the apostles in 
Jerusalem heard this they sent Peter and John, who came to 
Samaria and prayed that the Holy Spirit might be given to the 
persons who believed. Then they laid their hands on the heads 
of those persons, and God sent his Holy Spirit into them. 

Now there was at Samaria a man named Simon, who before 
that time had deceived the people, pretending he could do things 
for them by magic; and they all listened to his words, and said, 
This man has power given to him from God. But when Philip 
preached the gospel in that city, and many believed and were 
baptized, Simon came and said that he believed, and asked to be 
baptized also. Then Philip baptized him. Afterward he stayed 
with Philip, wondering at the miracles that he did. 

And when Peter and John had come from Jerusalem, and 
Simon saw that by laying on of their hands the Holy Spirit was 
given to those that believed, he went to them and offered to pay 
them money if they would give him power, by laying on of his 
hands, to bring down God’s Holy Spirit from heaven. But Peter 
told him he had done very wickedly in thinking that what God 
gave to those who loved him, could be bought for money ; and 
he said to Simon, Repent of thy sin, and ask to be forgiven, for 
I see thou art yet a wicked man, and a servant of Satan. Then 
Simon answered, Pray you to the Lord for me, that he may 
not send his punishment upon me. 

And the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, and commanded 
him to leave Samaria, and go through the wilderness toward 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


643 


the city of Gaza. Philip obeyed, and went. As he was going, 
a man from the land of Ethiopia, who was an eunuch, or officer, 
of great power under the queen of Ethiopia, and who took care 



THE APOSTLES LAY THEIR HANDS ON THE DISCIPLES. 


of all her treasure, came by that way. He had been up to 
Jerusalem to worship at the temple, and now, as he sat in his 
chariot returning to his own land, he read the Scriptures. 
The part he read was where the prophet Isaiah told the chil- 































644 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



dren of Israel that a Saviour was coming into the world to 
die for their sins. 

When Philip saw the eunuch the Holy Spirit commanded 
him, saying, Go near to the chariot and speak with him. Then 
Philip ran and came near to the chariot, and he heard the 
eunuch reading aloud the words which the prophet had writ¬ 
ten. And Philip spoke to him, and said, Dost thou understand 
what thou readest ? The eunuch answered, How can I, except 
some man should explain it to me ? And he asked Philip to 
come and sit with him in the chariot. Philip did so; and the 
eunuch said, I pray thee, tell me what the prophet meant when 


PHTI..IP and the eunuch. 

he wrote these words ? whether he was speaking about himself 
or some other man? Then Philip began and explained the 
Scriptures, and preached to him about Jesus. 

As they went on their journey, they came to a place where 
there was water, and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what 
























THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


645 


is there to keep me from being baptized ? Philip said, If thou 
believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. The eunuch answered, 
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he command¬ 
ed the chariot to stand still; and they two went down into the 
water, both Philip and the eunuch, and Philip baptized him. 
When they had come up again the Holy Spirit took Philip away, 
so that the eunuch saw him no more. And the eunuch went on 
his journey back to his own land, full of joy, because he had 
heard about Jesus and been made one of his disciples. After¬ 
ward Philip was found at a city called Azotus, and leaving there, 
he preached in all the cities till he came to Cesarea. 

And Saul, being full of anger and hatred against the disciples, 
went to the high priest at Jerusalem, and asked for letters to 
the rulers of the synagogues in the city of Damascus, that he 
might go to that city, and if he found any disciples there, bind 
them with fetters, whether they were men or women, and bring 
them to Jerusalem to be punished. And the high priest gave 
him the letters he asked for, and he started on his journey to 
Damascus. But when, he came near that city, suddenly there 
shone around him a great light from heaven, and Jesus appeared 
to him. And Saul was afraid, and fell down on the ground. 
And he heard a voice, saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou 
me? Saul said, Who art thou, Lord? The voice answered, I 
am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. It was Jesus speaking to 
Saul, and he meant to say that when Saul persecuted his disci¬ 
ples, it was the same as if he persecuted him. 

Then Saul, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt 
thou have me to do ? The Lord said, Arise, and go into the 
city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men 
who were with him stood silent; they heard the voice but could 
not understand the words that were spoken. When Saul rose 
from the earth he could not see, for the light had blinded him; 
and those who were with him led him by the hand, and brought 
him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and 
did neither eat nor drink. 

There was living, at that time, in Damascus a disciple named 
Ananias. And the Lord spoke to him, and said, Ananias. He 


646 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



answered, I am here, Lord. The Lord said to him, Arise, and 
go into the street which is called Straight, and ask at the house 
of Judas for a man named Saul. He is now praying to me, and 
has seen thee in a vision, coming to him and putting thy hand 
on him, that he may receive his sight. Ananias answered, Lord, 


SAUL’S CONVERSION. 

I have heard many speak of this man, and of the great evil he 
has done to thy people in Jerusalem; and he has come here with 
letters from the chief priests, giving him power to bind in fetters 
all who believe on thee. But the Lord said, Go, as I have told 
thee, for I have chosen him to preach my gospel to the Gentiles, 
and to kings, and to the children of Israel. And I will show 
him what great sufferings he must bear for my sake. 

Then Ananias obeyed and went into the house of Judas, and 
putting his hands on Saul, said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, 
who appeared to thee as thou wast coming to Damascus, has sent 
me to put my hands on thee, that thou mayest receive thy sight 
and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately Saul’s eyes 
were opened and he could see; and he rose up and was baptized. 










THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


647 


After he had eaten some food his strength came to him again. 
Then he stayed with the disciples who were in Damascus, and 
went into the synagogues and preached about Christ to the 
people, telling them that he was the Son of God. 

But all who heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this the 
man who persecuted those who believed, in Jerusalem, and came 
here that he might bind the disciples and carry them to the chief 
priests to be punished? Yet Saul preached more and more 
earnestly, and proved, out of the Scriptures, to the Jews at Da¬ 
mascus, that Jesus was the Saviour; so that although they 
would not believe, they could not deny what he said. And after 
many days had passed, the Jews, being filled with anger, talked 
with one another, about some way of killing him. And they 
watched by day and by night, to take him when he should go 
out through the gates of 
the city. But the disci¬ 
ples heard of it, and took 
him by night, and let him 
down in a basket from a 
window that was over the 
wall, so that he escaped 
out of Damascus and 
afterward, went to Jeru¬ 
salem. 

When he had come to 
Jerusalem he went to the 
disciples who were there, 
because now, instead of 
hating them, he loved 
them and wanted to be 
with them; but they 
were all afraid of him, 
and would not believe that he himself had been made a dis¬ 
ciple. And Barnabas, one of the men who had sold their 
land and given the money to the poor, brought him to the 
apostles and told them how Saul had seen Jesus as he journeyed, 
and afterward preached the gospel boldly at Damascus. Then 









648 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the apostles took Saul, and he stayed with them and preached 
in Jerusalem. But some of the Jews at Jerusalem, like those 
at Damascus, determined to slay him. When the apostles knew 



DORCAS IS RAISED TO LIFE. 


of it, they sent him away to a city called Tarsus (which was not 
in the land of Israel, but in a country called Asia Minor) where 
Saul was born. After this, the Bible says, the Churches had 
rest, that is, no one troubled, or persecuted them. By Churches 




























THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


649 


are meant the congregations, or companies, of disciples that 
met together in different places, not the buildings, or houses, 
in which they met. 

As Peter went through different parts of the land, visiting the 
churches there, he came to the city of Lydda. And he found 
in that city a man named Eneas, who had the palsy, and had 
lain on his bed for eight years. Peter said to him, Eneas, Jesus 
Christ maketh thee well. Rise up, and make thy bed. And 
he arose immediately. And many of the people who lived at 
Lydda and in the country around it, saw Eneas after he was 
made well; and they believed on Jesus. 

At Joppa, which was a city not far from Lydda, there was a 
disciple named Dorcas. This woman was full of good works 
and kind acts, which she did to the poor. At that time she fell 
sick and died. Then they washed her dead body and made it 
ready for burial, laying it in an upper chamber. And because 
Lydda was near to Joppa, and the disciples heard that Peter 
was there, they sent two men asking him to make haste and 
come to them. Peter arose, and went. When they had brought 
him to the house, they took him into the upper chamber where 
the body of Dorcas lay. And all the poor widows whom she 
had helped, stood by him, showing the coats and garments 
which she had made for them while she was alive. But Peter 
put every one out, and kneeled down and prayed ; and turning 
to the dead body, he said, Dorcas, arise! And she awaked like 
one who had been asleep, and when she saw Peter, sat up. And 
he reached out his hand and helped her to rise. Then he called 
those who were in the house, and gave her to them. And Peter 
stayed many days in Joppa, at the house of Simon, a tanner. 



650 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


CHAPTERS X.-XIV. 

A. D. 41-40. 

PETER BAPTIZES CORNELIUS. THE APOSTLES AT JERUSALEM REPROVE 
HIM. HE TELLS THEM OF HIS VISION. BEING PUT IN PRISON HE 
IS SET FREE BY AN ANGEL. BARNABAS AND SAUL PREACH IN OTHER 
CITIES. SAUL IS STONED AT LYSTRA ; THEY RETURN TO ANTIOCH. 

T HERE was a man in the city of Cesarea named Cornelius, 
a centurion in the Roman army. He was not a Jew; yet 
he was a good man, who feared God and taught his family to 
fear him, giving much alms to the poor, and praying to God 
always. Cornelius saw in a vision, about the ninth hour 
of the day, an angel coming to him and saying, Cornelius. 
When he saw the angel he was afraid, and said, What is it, 
Lord ? The angel answered, God has heard thy prayers, and 
seen the alms which thou hast given. Now send men to Joppa 
for a man named Peter, who is staying in the house of Simon, 
a tanner, which is by the sea-side; when he has come, he 
will tell thee what thou oughtest to do. After the angel had 
gone, Cornelius called two of his servants who waited upon 
him, and also a soldier who feared God, and whom he kept 
with him continually. And when he had told them what the 
angel said, he sent them to Joppa. 

The next day as they went on their journey and came near 
to the city, Peter, who did not know they were coming, went 
up on the house-top to pray; for as we have read, the houses 
in which the Jews lived, had flat roofs, and oftentimes a little 
room was built upon them where any one of the family could 
go and be alone, and pray to God. And Peter went up on the 
house-top to pray about the sixth hour. As he prayed, he 
grew very hungry and wanted to eat; then he had a dream, or 
vision. He saw the sky above him open, and something like a 
great sheet, held up at the four corners, was let down to the earth 
before him. In this sheet were all kinds of wild beasts, and 
creeping things, and birds of the air. And there came a 
voice, saying, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. 

We have read how Moses commanded the children of Israel 
not to eat any of the animals that were called unclean. Now 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


651 



some of these animals were in the sheet. Therefore when the 
voice told Peter to kill and eat them, he answered, I can¬ 
not do it, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is for¬ 
bidden or unclean. Then the voice spoke again, saying, What 
God has made clean, do not thou call forbidden or unclean. 
These words were spoken three times, and then the sheet was 
lifted up toward heaven again. 

It was God who sent the vision to Peter, and the reason he 
sent it was this: The Jews thought, because God had chosen 


PETER’S VISION. 

them for his people, that they were better than other nations, 
and that Jesus came to save them alone. They called other 
nations unclean, and did not want to preach the gospel to them. 
But now God taught Peter that this was wrong. For the ani¬ 
mals that he saw in the vision meant those other nations, and 
God intended in this way to show Peter that he should not call 
them unclean any more, nor refuse to teach them, but should 
preach to them just as he preached to the Jews ; because God 






























652 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


had made those nations as well as the Jews, and had sent 
Jesus to save them also. 

While Peter was wondering in himself what the vision could 
mean, the servants of Cornelius came to Simon’s house and 
stood before the gate and asked if Peter was there. Then the 
Holy Spirit spoke to Peter, saying, Behold, three men are look¬ 
ing for thee. Arise and go with them, without fear, for I have 
sent them. And Peter went down to the men, and said to them, 
Behold, I am he whom you seek; for what reason have you 
come? They answered, Cornelius, the centurion, who is a just 
man and one that fears God, and is well thought of by all the 
Jews, was told by a holy angel to send for thee to come to his 
house, that he might hear the words which thou wouldst speak. 
Then Peter called the men into Simon’s house, and kept them 
that night; on the morrow he went with them, and some of the 
disciples who lived at Joppa went also. 

The next day they came to Cesarea. Cornelius was expect¬ 
ing them, and had invited his relations and near friends to be 
with him when Peter should come. And as Peter entered into 
his house, Cornelius fell down and worshipped him. But Peter 
spoke to him, saying, Stand up; for I am only a man like thy¬ 
self. Then Peter went in with him and found there many per¬ 
sons gathered together who, like Cornelius himself, were not 
Jews, but Gentiles. And Peter said to them, You know that 
the Jews say it is wrong for them to make friends with the men 
of other nations, because the Jews think themselves better, and 
call others common and unclean. But God has taught me, in a 
vision, not to call the men of other nations common or unclean. 
Therefore I came to you as soon as you sent for me, and now I 
ask for what reason you wanted me to come? 

Cornelius answered, Four days ago I was fasting and praying 
in my house, and, behold, an angel stood before me in bright 
clothing, and said, Cornelius, God has heard thy prayers, and 
seen thy kind acts to the poor. Send therefore to Joppa for a 
man named Peter. He is staying in the house of Simon, a 
tanner, by the sea-side. When he comes, he will tell how thou, 
and all thy family can be saved. Immediately then I sent 



PETER VISITS CORNELIUS 













654 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


for thee, and thou hast done kindly to come. Now, therefore, 
we are all met together to hear what God has commanded 
thee to say. 

Then Peter spoke to them, and said, Truly I see that God does 
not choose one nation to be his people more than another, but 
in every nation those persons who fear him, and do what is 
right, he takes for his children. You have heard of the words 
that are preached to the children of Israel about Jesus: how 
God sent him into the world, and how he went about doing 
good. Yet the Jews took him and put him to death. But God 
raised him up again on the third day, and showed him to us, his 
apostles, who did eat and drink with him after he had risen. 
And he commanded us to go and preach to the people, and tell 
them that God has appointed him to be the Judge of all men. 
For he is the one of whom the prophets said, that all those who 
believe in him shall have their sins forgiven. 

While Peter w r as yet speaking, the Holy Ghost came upon 
Cornelius, and the other Gentiles who were with him. And 
the Jews who had come with Peter from Joppa, were aston¬ 
ished: for, before that time, they thought that God did not 
care for the Gentiles, but now they saw that he sent his Holy 
Spirit upon them, and they heard the Gentiles speaking in 
other languages which they had never understood before, the 
Holy Spirit giving them power to do so. Then Peter said, 
Ought not these men to be baptized, to whom the Holy Ghost 
has been sent as well as to us ? And he commanded them to 
be baptized in the name of Jesus. Then they begged him to 
stay with them for some days. 

The apostles and disciples at Jerusalem heard that Peter had 
gone to visit Cornelius and his friends at Cesarea. And when 
Peter came to Jerusalem they found fault with him, saying, Thou 
wentest into the house to visit men who are Gentiles, and didst 
eat with them. But Peter told them of all that had happened 
to him, how God had taught him by the vision, that he was to 
preach the gospel to the Gentiles also, and had commanded him 
to go with the men whom Cornelius sent. And, Peter said, 
while I was preaching to Cornelius and his friends, the Holy 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


655 


Ghost came upon them as he did upon us, who are Jews, at the 
day of Pentecost. Therefore, as God sent his Spirit upon them, 
what was I, that I should oppose him ? When the apostles and 
disciples heard these things, they ceased to blame Peter, and gave 
thanks, saying, Then has God given to the Gentiles also new 
hearts, that they may be saved as well as we. 

Now some of the disciples who fled from Jerusalem at the 
time Stephen was put to death, went to a city called Antioch, in 
the land of Syria, and there preached to the Gentiles, and God 
helped them, so that great numbers believed. When news of this 
reached Jerusalem the apostles sent Barnabas to Antioch, who 
having come there and seen how many believed was glad; and 
he spoke kindly to them, persuading them to go on, earnestly 
serving the Lord. For Barnabas was a good man, whose heart 
was full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and through his 
preaching many more persons believed in Jesus. 

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when 
he found him, he brought him to Antioch; and they stayed 
with the church in that city (that is, with the disciples who met 
together there) for a whole year, preaching the gospel to many 
people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called 
by the name of Christians. 

In those days some men who were prophets came to Antioch 
from Jerusalem. And one of them named Agabus, stood up 
and said, that a great famine was coming in all lands. Then 
the disciples at Antioch determined to send help to the Chris¬ 
tians at Jerusalem, and they sent alms to them by Barnabas 
and Saul, each disciple giving as much as he was able. 

About that time, Herod, the king, began to persecute the 
Christians; he killed James, one of the apostles, with the sword, 
and because he saw it pleased the Jews, he took Peter also, and 
put him in prison, setting soldiers to watch over him, by night 
and by day, that he should not escape; intending after the feast 
of the passover, to bring him out to the people and put him to 
death. Peter, therefore, was kept in prison, but prayer was made 
continually by the church in Jerusalem for him. On the night 
before he was to be brought out, Peter was sleeping between two 


G56 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


soldiers, being bound with two chains that were fastened to the 
soldiers’ hands, so that if he moved they would know it. 

And, behold, an angel came to him, and a light shone in the 
prison. And the angel touched Peter’s side and wakened him, 
saying, Rise up quickly. But the soldiers did not waken. Then 
the chains fell off from Peter’s hands, and the angel said to him, 
Dress thyself, and put on thy sandals and follow me. And Peter 
followed him; but he thought it was only a dream, or vision. 
When they had passed the guard of soldiers they came to the 
iron gate that led into the city, which opened to them of its own 
accord. And they went out, and walked on through the first 
street, and there the angel left him. 

When Peter had time to think of what had been done he 
said to himself, Now I know surely that the Lord has sent his 
angel to save me from Herod and from the Jews, who expected 
to kill me. And he went to the house of Mary, the mother of 
the disciple whose name was Mark, where many Christians were 
gathered together praying. As Peter knocked at the gate, a 
young woman came to listen, named Rhoda, who, when she 
heard his voice, was so full of gladness that she forgot to open 
the gate for him, but ran back and told those who were in the 
house that Peter was there. They said to her, Thou art mad ; 
Peter is in prison. Yet she declared the more earnestly that it 
was he. Then they said, It must be his spirit. Still Peter con¬ 
tinued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, 
they were astonished. But he, motioning with his hand that they 
should be still, told them how the Lord had brought him out of 
prison. And he said, Go tell these things to the other apostles. 
And he left them, and went to another place. 

Now as soon as it was morning, the soldiers wondered where 
Peter had gone, for the angel (as we suppose) had made them 
fall into so deep a sleep that they saw nothing of what had been 
done. And when Herod called them to him and questioned 
them, but found they could not tell what had become of Peter, 
he commanded that they should be put to death. 

After this there was a day when Herod dressed in his royal 
robes, sat on his throne and made an oration, or speech, to the 



THE ANGEL COMES TO PETER IN PRISON, 






















658 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


people, who as they heard him, gave a shout, and cried, It is the 
voice of a god and not of a man. And Herod, being filled with 
pride, was not offended at these wicked words; but was pleased 
when he heard them, and willing that the people should worship 
him as if he were a god. Therefore the Lord was angry, and 
sent his angel to punish him. And there came a dreadful dis¬ 
ease upon him, and he was eaten by worms till he died. 

And Barnabas and Saul brought the alms which had been 
sent by the disciples at Antioch, and gave them to the poor 
Christians in Jerusalem. Afterward they returned to Antioch, 
taking with them the disciple whose name was Mark. 

Now there were in Antioch, other preachers and teachers be¬ 
side Barnabas and Saul. And while they were worshipping the 
Lord the Holy Spirit spoke to them, and told them to send 
Barnabas and Saul away from Antioch to other countries, that 
they might preach the gospel to the people who lived there. So 
after they had all fasted and prayed together, the rest laid their 
hands on the heads of Barnabas and Saul, and sent them away. 
Then these two left Antioch and sailed in a ship to the island 
of Cyprus. In the chief city of that island, called Salamis, they 
went into the synagogue and taught the Jews. For the Jews 
were living not only in the land of Judea, but in all the coun¬ 
tries around that land; and wherever they lived they built 
synagogues to worship in. The disciple named Mark was 
with Saul and Barnabas. They had brought him not to 
preach, but to help them in other ways while they were on 
their journey. 

And they came to another city in the island, called Paphos. 
There they found a Jew, named Elymas, who was a false prophet. 
He was with the governor of the country. Now the governor 
was a wise and prudent man, and he sent for Barnabas and Saul 
that they might come and explain the gospel to him. But Ely¬ 
mas spoke against them, and tried to keep the governor from 
believing what they taught. Then Saul, who was also called 
Paul, looked on Elymas, saying, O, thou, who art full of all 
mischief, thou child of the devil, wilt thou not cease speaking 
evil of those things which the Lord has commanded us to teach ? 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


659 


And now, behold, the Lord has sent a punishment upon thee, 
and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And 
immediately his sight was taken from him, and he groped about 
like a person in the dark, seeking some one to lead him by the 
hand. Then the governor, when he saw the miracle that Paul 
had done, believed what the apostles said. 

And they sailed away from Paphos, and came to the city of 
Perga, in the country called Asia Minor. There Mark left them, 



PAUL PREACHING. 

and went back to Jerusalem. He did this because he was un¬ 
willing to go with them and help them any further on their 
journey. But Barnabas and Paul went on to the city of Anti¬ 
och ; not that Antioch from which they first set out, but another 
city of the same name in Asia Minor. And they came into the 
synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. After the 
Scriptures had been read the rulers of the synagogue sent word 
to them saying, Brethren, if you have any words to say to the 
people, speak oil 











660 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE 1 


Then Paul stood up and said, Men of Israel and all you who 
fear God, listen to me. The God of the children of Israel 
chose our fathers to be his people, and by his mighty power, 
set them free, when they were living as strangers in the land 
of Egypt. Afterward he took care of them for about forty 
years while they wandered in the wilderness; and when he 
had destroyed the wicked nations of Canaan, he divided that 
land among them by lot. There he gave them judges to rule 
over them, for about four hundred and fifty years, until the 
time when Samuel, the prophet, lived. Then the people asked 
for a king, and God gave them Saul; and when he had taken 
Saul aw r ay, he gave them David. 

And now, Paul said, according to his promise, he has sent 
you Jesus, who was descended from David. But the people 
of Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not know 
him, put him to death. Yet God raised him up from the 
dead, and he was seen for many days after he had risen, by 
his apostles, who are sent to preach to the people about him. 
And we have come to you to tell you the good news, that 
this Jesus is the Saviour who was promised, and that you shall 
be forgiven all your sins if you will believe in him. Be care¬ 
ful, therefore, lest after you have been told of him, you do not 
believe and so at last perish. 

When the Jews had gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles 
who were there begged Paul and Barnabas that those words 
might be preached to them again. And on the next Sabbath 
almost the whole city came to hear them. But when the Jews 
saw such multitudes coming they were displeased, and spoke 
against the things that Paul said, contradicting them and blas¬ 
pheming. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly to the Jews, 
saying, It was right for us to preach the gospel to you first, but 
seeing you will not hear it, and do not care to be saved, we will 
now preach it to the Gentiles. Because so God has commanded 
us; for he said that Jesus should be a Saviour, not to the Jews 
only, but to all the nations upon earth. When the Gentiles 
heard this they were glad. But the Jews stirred up the chief 
men and the rulers, and raised a persecution against Paul and 



THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 661 

Barnabas, until they were driven out of Antioch; and they 
came to the city of Iconium. 

At Iconium they went together into the synagogue and taught 
the people, and God gave them power to do miracles so that 
great numbers, both of the Jews and the Gentiles, believed. But 
in this city also, the Jews who would not believe, stirred up the 
people until they were about to stone the apostles. Then Paul 
and Barnabas fled to another city, called Lystra, and preached 
there. And a man, who had been lame ever since he was born, 
and had never walked, sat near the place where Paul preached 
and heard him. And Paul, seeing that the man had faith, and 


THE PEOPLE PREPARE TO SACRIFICE TO THE APOSTLES. 

believed he could make him well, said, with a loud voice, Stand 
up on thy feet. And he leaped up and walked. 

When the people of Lystra saw the miracle which Paul did, 
they cried out in the language of that country, These are gods 
who have come down to us from heaven looking like men. And 












662 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


they called Barnabas, Jupiter, and Paul, Mercury, which were 
the names of their idols. Then the priests from the idol’s temple 
brought oxen covered with wreaths of flowers, intending to sac¬ 
rifice them to the apostles, in the same way that they sacrificed 
them to their idols. But when Barnabas and Paul saw it they 
rent their clothes, to show their displeasure, and ran in among 
the people, crying out, Sirs, why do you these things ? For we 
also are men like yourselves, and have come to preach to you, 
and persuade you to turn from worshipping idols, and to wor¬ 
ship only the true God, who made heaven and earth, and the sea, 
and all that are in them. Yet the apostles could hardly keep the 
people from offering up sacrifices to them. 

But after this some of the Jews who had driven them from 
Antioch and Iconium, came to Lystra, and said that Barnabas 
and Paul were wicked men, and were trying to deceive the peo¬ 
ple. Then immediately the people of Lystra, who before had 
wanted to worship them, tried to kill them. And they stoned 
Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. 
But while the disciples were standing around him, he rose up 
and came into the city again. 

The next day he went with Barnabas to another city, called 
Derbe. When they had preached there they went again through 
all the cities where the people had persecuted them, and they 
spoke to the disciples who lived in those cities, persuading them 
still to believe in the Lord Jesus, and telling them that we must 
bear trouble, and sorrow, if we will serve God, and be among those 
who enter into his kingdom. And after they had set men, called 
elders, over the churches in the cities they passed through, the 
apostles came back to that Antioch from which they first started 
out on their journey. There they called all the church together, 
and told how they had preached the gospel to the Gentiles, as 
well as to the Jews, in the places where they had been. And 
they stayed a long while with the disciples in Antioch. 



THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES . 


663 


CHAPTERS XY.-XVIII. 


A. D. 51-50. 


SOME MEN TELL THE DISCIPLES THEY MUST KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES. 
THE APOSTLES MEET TOGETHER TO DECIDE THIS QUESTION. PAUL 
AND BARNABAS PART FROM ONE ANOTHER. PAUL AND SILAS VISIT 
LYSTRA; THEY ARE PUT IN PRISON. THE JAILER IS CONVERTED. 
PAUL PREACHES IN ATHENS AND VISITS CORINTH. 

ND some men came from Jerusalem to Antioch who told 



the disciples there that they could not be saved, unless 
they obeyed the law of Moses, which commanded the children 
of Israel to offer up sacrifices. Now we have read that for 
many hundred years before Jesus came on the earth, sacrifices 
were offered up to show that he was coming. But when he had 
come, there was no more need of sacrifices; for we do not need 
anything to remind us that a person is coming, after he is here 
and we have seen him for ourselves. Therefore Paul and 
Barnabas talked with these men, and tried to make them un¬ 
derstand that sacrifices were needed no longer. When they 
could not do this, they agreed to go with them up to Jerusalem, 
to inquire about the matter. So they went with them, and after 
they had come there, the apostles and elders met together to 
decide this question. Then the Holy Spirit told them that 
now, since the Saviour had been offered up, it was not neces¬ 
sary to offer up any more sacrifices. 

And the apostles and elders chose two men, named Judas and 
Silas, to go back with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. And they 
wrote a letter for these men to carry with them, and give to the 
Christians in Antioch, and other cities, telling them that they 
need no longer offer up lambs, or oxen, or goats to the Lord. 
For the time was past when the Lord cared that the people 
should worship him in this way. What he wanted them to do 
now was, to obey the words of the gospel, which said, that they 
should repent of their sins, and believe in his Son, Jesus; loving 
him in their hearts and obeying his commandments. 

So Paul and Barnabas, and Judas and Silas, left Jerusalem 
and came to Antioch ; and they called all the disciples together 
and gave them the letter which the apostles and elders had sent. 


664 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And the disciples were glad when they read it, and learned that 
now they could worship God as well in the places where they 
lived, as if they should go to Jerusalem and offer up sacrifices 
at the temple. 

After these things Paul said to Barnabas, Let us go again 
and visit our brethren in all the cities where we have preached 
the gospel, and see how they do. And Barnabas was willing to 
go, and he wanted to take Mark with them ; but Paul thought 
it not best to take Mark, who, when they took him before, left 
them, and was unwilling to stay with them to the end of their 
journey. So they disagreed about this matter, and their dis¬ 
agreement was so great that they parted from one another. 
Then Barnabas took Mark and sailed to the island of Cy¬ 
prus, but Paul chose Silas and went into Syria, visiting the 
churches in that land. 

And he came to Lystra, the city where he had healed the lame 
man. There he found a young man named Timothy whose moth¬ 
er was a Jewess, and a disciple of Jesus, but his father was a 
Gentile. And Timothy was well spoken of by the Christians 
at Lystra, for from the time he was a little child, he had been 
taught to know what was in the Scriptures, and to obey the Lord. 
When Paul saw how wise and good a young man he was, he 
chose him to go with himself and Silas, so that Timothy might 
learn to be a minister, and preach the gospel. 

And they came to Troas, a city near the sea; there in the 
night Paul had a vision. He saw a man standing before him, 
who said, Come over to Macedonia and help us. Macedonia 
was a country on the other side of the sea; so Paul, and those 
who were with him, sailed in a ship from Troas and came to a 
city of Macedonia called Philippi. 

On the Sabbath day they went a little way out of the city, to 
a place by the side of a river, where the Jews used to meet to¬ 
gether to pray; and they sat down and talked with the women 
who came there. And a woman named Lydia, who was a seller 
of purple cloth, heard them. Then the Lord sent his Spirit 
into her heart, so that she attended to what Paul said and 
believed in Jesus. When she and her family had been bap- 


THE AC1S OF THE APOSTLES. 


665 


tized, she begged Paul and his friends, saying, If you think me 
a Christian, come and stay at my house. And she persuaded 
them till they went. 

And a young woman who had an evil spirit, and who earned 
much money for her masters by pretending to tell persons what 
would happen to them in the future, followed Paul and his 
companions, and cried out, saying, These men are the servants 
of God, who show us the way we may be saved. This she did 
for many days. But Paul, being troubled that she followed 
them, turned and said to the evil spirit, I command thee, in 
the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And the spirit 
came out that same hour. 

When the masters of the young woman saw that she was 
made well, and could no longer earn money for them by repeat¬ 
ing what the evil spirit said, they were angry, and caught Paul 
and Silas, and brought them before the rulers, saying, These 
men, who are Jews, do greatly trouble our city, and teach the 
people things which it is not right for them to do. Then the 
people of Philippi rose up against them, and the rulers com¬ 
manded that they should be scourged. And after they had 
beaten them with many stripes they put them in prison, telling 
the jailer to keep them safely. He therefore took them into the 
inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks, or heavy 
pieces of wood, so they might not escape. 

In the middle of the night Paul and Silas prayed, and sang 
praises to God, and the other prisoners heard them. And sud¬ 
denly there was a great earthquake, which shook the whole 
prison, and immediately all the doors opened, of their own 
accord, and the chains that bound the prisoners fell from 
them. And the keeper of the prison, waking out of his sleep, 
and seeing the prison doors open, and fearing that he would be 
put to death for allowing the prisoners to escape, drew out his 
sword and would have killed himself, supposing they had fled. 
But Paul cried to him, with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself 
no harm, for we are all here. 

Then the jailer called for a light and came trembling into the 
dungeon where Paul and Silas were, and kneeling down before 


666 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


them, cried, Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? They answered 
him, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be 
saved. Then they told him and all who were in his house, 
about the Saviour, and preached the gospel to them. And they 
believed, and were all of them baptized. That same hour of 
the night the jailer took Paul and Silas, and washed the wounds 



THE JAILER CRIES, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? 


that had been made when they were beaten. He brought food 
also, and set it before them, that they might eat. And the 
jailer was filled with joy, because he and his family were made 
Christians, and had their sins forgiven. 

In the morning the rulers sent some officers to the prison who 
said to the jailer, Let those men go. Then the jailer told Paul, 
saying, The rulers have sent to let you go. Now the Jews, as 


































































THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


667 


we have read, were servants to the Romans. Yet Paul’s father, 
although he was a Jew, had been made free. We are not told 
whether he bought his freedom for money, or received it as 
a reward from the emperor, for doing something that pleased 
him. But because his father was made a free Roman, Paul also 
was one. And it was against the law to scourge a free Roman. 
So when the rulers sent officers to say he might go, Paul an¬ 
swered, They have taken us who are Romans, and although no 
harm has been proved against us, have beaten us before all the 
people. If then, they want us to go, let the rulers come them¬ 
selves and take us out, so that the people may know we were 
unjustly scourged and cast into prison. 

When the rulers heard that Paul was a Roman they were 
afraid lest they might be punished for what they had done to 
him; and they came and begged him earnestly to go out of 
the city. Then he and Silas left the prison and came into the 
house of Lydia; after they had met with the disciples there, 
and talked with them, to comfort them, they departed from 
Philippi and went on their journey. 

And they came to another city of Macedonia called Thessa- 
lonica, where was a synagogue. And Paul, for three Sabbath 
days, went into it and preached to the Jews, as he used to do in 
every city; explaining the Scriptures to them and showing, from 
w T hat the prophets had written, that Jesus was the Saviour. And 
some of them believed, and many of the Gentiles also. 

But the Jews, who would not believe, being angry because 
they saw others believing, took wicked men with them and 
made an uproar in the city, and went to the house where Paul 
and Silas stayed to bring them out to the people. When they 
could not find them they caught the man to whom the house 
belonged, whose name was Jason, and brought him before the 
rulers, saying, The men called Christians, who have made such 
trouble and confusion in other places, have come here also. 
They disobey the decrees of Caesar, and say there is another 
king named Jesus. Yet Jason has taken them into his house. 
Then the rulers made Jason promise that Paul and Silas should 
cause no more disturbance among the people, and afterward they 


668 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


let him go. But the brethren, that is, the men who were 
Christians in Thessalonica, sent Paul and Silas away by night 
to another city called Berea. 

When they came there they went into the synagogue to 
preach to the Jews. Now the Jews in Berea were more willing 
to learn than those in Thessalonica, for they listened to the gos¬ 
pel, and after hearing it, they read every day, in the Scriptures, 
to see whether the things that Paul and Silas told them out of 
the prophets were true. Therefore many of them believed, and 
of the Gentiles also, both men and women, not a few. But when 
the Jews who had driven Paul away from Thessalonica, heard 
that he was preaching in Berea, they came there to stir up the 
people against him. Then the brethren sent him away from 
Berea, but Silas and Timothy stayed there still. 

And the men who went with Paul brought him to Athens, 
which was the chief city of a country called Greece. The 
people of Athens were considered the wisest people living at 
that time, and were known all over the world for their learn¬ 
ing; yet they worshipped false gods. They made beautiful 
statues of these, and built splendid temples and altars to them 
in different parts of their city. But among the altars was 
one with these words on it, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. 
For though they had many gods, the people felt there was 
one God whom they had never learned about. Therefore, 
they built this altar to him. 

And as Paul passed through the streets of Athens he saw that 
the city was full of idols. This grieved him at his heart; and 
he preached not only to the Jews in their synagogue, but he 
went every day to the market-place, where the people of the city 
met, and explained the gospel to them. When the philosophers, 
or wise men of Athens, heard him, some of them asked, What is 
it that this fellow says ? Others answered, He seems to be telling 
about some new and strange gods. They said this, because he 
preached about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took 
him and brought him to the place where the chief court of 
Athens met, on a hill called Mars’ Hill, in the centre of the 
city; and they said to him, Tell us now what this gospel is 



THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 669 

which thou art preaching; for thou dost speak strange words, 
and we would like to know what they mean. For the people 
of Athens spent all their time in doing nothing else but either 
in telling, or hearing, some new thing. 

Then Paul stood up, and said, Ye men of Athens, I see 
that you think a great deal about the gods which you wor- 


PAUL PREACHING AT ATHENS. 

ship; for as I walked through your city, looking at your 
temples, your altars, and your images, I saw an altar with these 
words written on it: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. That 
God, therefore, whom you worship without knowing him, I 
now want to tell you of. 

Then Paul told them that God, who made the world, and 
made them, did not live in temples such as they built, neither 
was he like the idols of gold, and silver, and stone, which were 
made by men’s hands. While the people knew no better than 
to worship such idols, Paul said, God had not destroyed them 
























670 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


for doing it, but had allowed them to live, and had given them 
food and clothing and everything that they needed. But now 
he told all men to worship idols no more, commanding them to 
repent of their sins and believe on Jesus, because he had ap¬ 
pointed a day when he would send him to judge them; and 
God had given them a proof that he would do this, by raising 
Jesus up from the dead. 

When the men of Athens heard Paul speak of the resurrec¬ 
tion, or the rising up from the dead, some of them would not 
listen to his words, and mocked him, but others said, We will 
hear thee speak again of this matter. Yet a number of those 
who had heard him, believed, among whom was Dionysius, 
one of the members of the chief court of Athens, and a woman 
named Damaris, and others with them. 

After these things, Paul left Athens and came to the city 
of Corinth. And he found there a Jew named Aquila, with 
his wife Priscilla. The Jews used always to teach their sons 
some business, or trade, while they were young, so that they 
would be able when they grew older, to support themselves. 
Paul had been taught while young, to be a tent-maker; and 
though now he was an apostle, whenever he was in want, he 
made tents for his living. And because Aquila was also a tent- 
maker, Paul went to stay and work with him. But every Sab¬ 
bath day he came into the synagogue and taught the people, 
persuading both the Jews and the Gentiles to believe in the Sa¬ 
viour. When the Jews contradicted him, and spoke wickedly 
of Jesus, he said to them, I have done my duty in telling you of 
him. If you will not be saved, the fault is your own ; from this 
time I will go and preach to the Gentiles. 

Now Corinth, like Athens, was a great city, but the people who 
lived there were wicked. Yet the Lord spoke to Paul in the 
night, in a vision, and told him that many of them should be¬ 
come Christians; and he commanded Paul to preach boldly and 
without fear ; For, the Lord said, I am with thee to take care of 
thee, and no man shall hurt thee. Paul stayed in Corinth a year 
and six months, preaching to the people. But the Jews of that 
city who would not believe, rose up against him and brought him 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


671 


before the governor, saying, This fellow teaches men to worship 
God in a way that is wrong. 

When Paul was going to answer them, the governor said to 
those who brought him, If this man had done something that 
was really wicked, it would be right that I should hear what 
you have to say against him. But if it be only a question about 
your worship, you may attend to it yourselves, for I will not be 
a judge between you in such matters. And he drove them away. 
Then the Gentiles, being angry at the Jews for persecuting 
Paul, took the chief ruler of the synagogue and beat him, even 
before the governor. Yet the governor did not stop them, for 
he cared about none of those things. 


CHAPTERS XIX.-XXIII. 

A. D. 56-60. 


SOME IDLE JEWS ATTEMPT TO CAST OUT EVIL SPIRITS. DEMETRIUS 
STIRS UP THE WORKMEN. PAUL PREACHES AT TROAS; RAISES 
EUTYCHUS FROM THE DEAD; SENDS FOR THE ELDERS AT EPHESUS; 
VISITS TYRE AND CESAREA. AGABUS PREDICTS HIS BEING BOUND. 
PAUL IS TAKEN AT THE TEMPLE; IS SENT TO CESAREA. 


A FTER this Paul stayed in Corinth for a good while. Then 
he bade farewell to the brethren there, and sailed away to 
the land of Syria, and came to the city of Ephesus. He was in 
Ephesus for three years preaching the gospel, until all the peo¬ 
ple in that part of Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard it. And 
God gave him power to do wonderful miracles, so that handker¬ 
chiefs, or aprons, which he had touched, when taken to persons 
who were sick, or had evil spirits, made them well. 

Then some idle Jews, who spent their time in wandering about 
from one place to another, pretended they could cast out evil 
spirits also; and they spoke to them as Paul did, saying, We 
command you, in Jesus’ name, to come out. There were seven 
brothers who did this; but the evil spirit answered them, and 
said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye ? And 
the man in whom the evil spirit was, leaped on them and beat 
them, so that they fled out of the house wounded and with their 
clothes torn from them. And all the people heard of it, and 



G72 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


many who had been wicked, believed, and came to Paul confess¬ 
ing the evil they had done. Others who before that time had 
deceived the people, pretending they could work by magic, 
brought the books which taught about such things, and burned 
them where all the people could see it. And when they had 
counted up the cost of the books, they found it to be fifty thou¬ 
sand pieces of silver. Yet the men to whom they belonged were 
willing to destroy them, rather than continue to use them in 
doing what they knew would offend God. 

Now the people of Ephesus worshipped an idol w T hich they 
pretended had fallen down from heaven. Its name was Diana; 
and they had in their city a very splendid temple where this 
idol was kept. The temple was built of cedar and cypress- 
wood, and of marble and gold. The people were two hundred 
and twenty years in building it. It was known among all 
nations, and persons from every land came to visit it; for it 
was thought to be one of the most beautiful and wonderful 
things in the world. 

There were men at Ephesus who made little copies of this 
temple out of silver, with an image of Diana inside. These were 
called shrines. The men who made them sold them to the peo¬ 
ple, and in this way earned much money. One of the men w T as 
named Demetrius. When he heard Paul telling the people that 
they should not worship idols, and saw that many were obeying 
w T hat Paul said, Demetrius called together all the workmen 
who made silver shrines for Diana, and said to them, Sirs, you 
know that it is by making these we get our wealth. Now you 
have heard that both here in Ephesus, and in almost every other 
city of Asia, this Paul has persuaded many persons, telling them 
that those are false gods which are made with men’s hands. So 
there is danger, not only that we cannot sell our shrines, but 
also that the great goddess Diana shall not be worshipped any 
longer, and that the people will come to her beautiful temple 
no more. 

When the workmen heard what Demetrius said, they were 
filled with rage and cried out saying, Great is Diana of the 
Ephesians. And the whole city was soon in confusion. Then 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


673 


the workmen, haying caught Gaius and Aristarchus, two men 
who had come with Paul to Ephesus, rushed all together into 
the theatre. When Paul wanted to go in and speak with them, 
the disciples would not let him, fearing that harm might be 
done to him. Some of the chief men of the city also, who were 
his friends, sent him word not to go. For the people were in 
a great uproar, some of them crying one thing and some 
another; yet many who had followed the workmen into the 
theatre did not know why they had come. The Jews also 



VIEW OF THE THEATRE AT EPHESUS. 

came there to speak against Paul; and one of them, named 
Alexander, stood up and motioned with his hand for the peo¬ 
ple to be still and listen to what he said; yet they would not, 
but all the multitude cried out together, for about two hours, 
Great is Diana of the Ephesians! 

Then one of the chief officers of the city, called the town- 
clerk, came in among them, and, as soon as they were quiet, 
spoke to them, saying, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there 
among you who does not know that the people of our city are 
worshippers of the great goddess Diana, and of her image that 
fell down from heaven? Now as no one denies this you ought 
43 













674 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


to be careful, and do nothing in anger. For you have brought 
here the men called Christians, who have not robbed your tern- 
pie, nor spoken evil of your goddess. Therefore if Demetrius, 
and the workmen who are with him, have any complaint to 
make against them, let him go before the court and prove what 
evil they have done. For we are in danger of being blamed 
by our rulers for this day’s disturbance, because we can give no 
reason why it should have been made. When the town-clerk 
had spoken these words, he sent the people away. 

After they were gone, Paul called to him the disciples, 
and bidding them farewell, left them, and went again into the 
land of Macedonia. When he had preached in the differ¬ 
ent cities of that land, he came again to Troas, in Asia. And 
on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together 
to eat of the bread and drink of the wine, as Jesus had com¬ 
manded, Paul preached to them, for he was going to leave 
Troas the next day. There were many lights in the upper 
chamber where they met together, and Paul continued speak¬ 
ing till the middle of the night. 

And there sat in a window, listening to him, a young man 
named Eutychus, who, as Paul was long preaching, slept, and 
while asleep, fell from the third story and was taken up dead. 
But Paul went down to him and putting his arms around him, 
said to those who stood by, Do not be troubled; he has come 
to life again. And the young man’s friends, when they saw 
that he was alive, took him up and were comforted. When 
Paul had returned to the upper chamber and eaten with the 
disciples, and talked with them a long while, even till it was 
morning, he left them to go from Troas. 

And he and the brethren w T ho were with him, sailed to the 
city of Miletus, which was not far from Ephesus. And because 
he did not wish to go to Ephesus at that time, he sent for the 
elders of the church there, to come and meet him. When they 
had come, he spoke to them, saying, You know, from the first 
day that I came among you, and for the three years that I 
stayed with you, how I lived at all times; serving the Lord hum¬ 
bly, yet having many sorrows and trials because of the Jews, who 



PAUL PARTING WITH THE ELDERS AT MILETUS. 















676 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


were always seeking to do me some harm. And you know that 
when I preached to you, I did not keep back anything that it was 
best for you to hear, even though it were something that might 
offend you; but I taught you in the synagogue and in your own 
houses, telling both the Jews and the Gentiles, that they should 
repent of their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

And now I am going up to Jerusalem not knowing what shall 
happen to me there, except that in every city the Holy Spirit 
tells me, bonds and afflictions are waiting for me. Yet none of 
these things make me afraid, neither do I care even though I be 
put to death, so that I may die with joy, and finish the work 
which the Lord Jesus has given me, as his minister, to do. And 
now I know that all of you who have heard me preach the gos¬ 
pel so often, shall see my face no more. Therefore before I go, 
I want you to confess that if any of you be lost at the Judgment 
day, the fault will not be mine; for I have not neglected to tell 
you how you may be saved, as God sent me to tell you. 

After Paul had said these things, he kneeled down and prayed 
with them. And they all wept greatly, and put their arms 
around his neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the 
words which he spoke, that they should see his face no more. 
And they went with him to the ship in which he sailed av r ay 
from Miletus. 

And he came to the city of Tyre, for there the ship was to 
unload her burden. Finding some disciples there he stayed 
with them seven days. As he was about to leave them, they, 
with their wives and children, came with him to the shore; and 
they all kneeled down together and prayed. And when they 
had bidden each other farewell, Paul and the brethren who 
journeyed with him, went into the ship, and the disciples 
returned to their own homes. And Paul came to the city of 
Cesarea, and went into the house of Philip, one of the seven 
deacons on whom the apostles had laid their hands; it was 
that Philip who preached the gospel to the eunuch, as he rode 
in his chariot going back from Jerusalem to Ethiopia. 

While Paul was in Philip’s house, a prophet, named Agabus, 
came there, who took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


677 


and feet with it, saying, The Holy Ghost has told me, that the 
Jews at Jerusalem shall so bind the man who owns this girdle, 
and shall give him to the Gentiles to be punished. When the 
disciples who were with Paul, heard these words, they wept, and 
begged him earnestly, not to go up to Jerusalem lest some evil 
should happen him. But he said to them, Why do you weep, to 
trouble me and break my heart? For I am ready not only to 
be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, if they will kill me for 
preaching about Jesus. When they saw that he would not be 
persuaded to stay, they begged him no more, but said, Whatever 
the Lord will, let it be done. 

After this Paul and his company left Cesarea and went up to 
Jerusalem ; and the brethren of Jerusalem welcomed him gladly. 
The day afterward he went to the house of James, one of the 
apostles, and all the elders of the church were there to meet him. 
Then Paul told them of the places to which he had been, and 
how God had helped him, so that by his preaching many Gen¬ 
tiles believed. When they heard these things they rejoiced and 
thanked God for what had been done. 

And Paul went up to the temple. But while he was there, 
some Jews from Asia saw him and took hold of him, crying out 
to all the people, Men of Israel, help us. This is the man who 
teaches the people everywhere not to obey the law of Moses, nor 
to worship here; and beside this, he has brought with him into 
the temple, Gentiles, who are not allowed to come in this holy 
place. And soon all the city was in an uproar, and the people 
ran together and took Paul and brought him away from the 
temple; and immediately the gates leading into the courts of 
the temple were shut. And as they were about to kill him, 
some person went and told the chief captain of the Roman sol¬ 
diers, who stayed in a castle near the temple to guard it and 
keep order there. 

Then the chief captain, taking some of his soldiers with him, 
ran down among the people, who, when they saw him coming, 
stopped beating Paul. And the chief captain took him from 
them and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and 
asked who he was and what he had done. And some of the 


678 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 



multitude cried one thing, and some another, so that no one 
could tell what they said. Then the chief captain ordered him 
to be taken into the castle. And when they came upon the 
stairs which led up to the castle, the soldiers carried Paul, to 


PAUL IS BOUND BY THE ROMAN SOLDIERS. 

save him from the people, for they followed after him, crying 
out, Away with him! kill him! 

And as the soldiers were leading Paul off to shut him up in 
the castle, he said to the chief captain, May I speak to thee ? 
Now there had been, before this time, a man from Egypt who 
deceived the Jews. Pretending that he was a prophet, he per¬ 
suaded them to follow him out into the wilderness, and caused 
many of them to be slain. When the chief captain saw the 
people so angry, he thought Paul was that man. Therefore he 
said to him, Art thou not that Egyptian who did lead men out 
into the wilderness ? Paul answered, No, I am a Jew who was 










THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


679 


born in Tarsus, which is a well-known city, and I beseech thee 
let me speak to the people. 

When permission had been given him, Paul stood on the 
stairs where the people could see him, and motioned with his 
hands for them to be still. As soon as there was silence among 
them he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, which he knew 
the Jews would understand. He said, I am in truth a man that 
is a Jew, who was born in Tarsus, but brought up in this city 
of Jerusalem; and I was taught by a learned Jew r , named 
Gamaliel, all the laws which Moses spoke to our fathers. And 
I was as anxious that every one should obey those laws as you 
are this day; for I persecuted, and wanted to put to death, 
all who believed in Jesus, binding them and sending them to 
prison, both men and women. The high priest, and all the 
Council of the Sanhedrim, will tell you that what I say is true, 
for they gave me letters to the Jews at Damascus, that I might 
go and bind the Christians whom I found there, and bring them 
to Jerusalem to be punished. 

But as I went on my journey and came near to Damascus, 
about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light 
around me. And I fell down to the ground, and heard a voice, 
saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? I answered, Who 
art thou, Lord? He said, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou 
persecutest. The men who were with me saw the light and 
were afraid, but they could not understand the words that were 
spoken. And I said, What shall I do. Lord ? The Lord said 
unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus, and there it shall be 
told thee what thou must do. 

And when I could not see, because the brightness of that 
light had blinded me, I was led by the hand and came into 
Damascus. After three days a disciple there, named Ananias, 
who feared God and was well thought of by all the Jews, came 
and stood by me, and said, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. 
And immediately I could see him. And he said to me, God 
has allowed thee to see Jesus and hear him speak, so that thou 
shouldst go and preach to all nations about him. And three 
years after that time, when I was in Jerusalem, and was pray- 


680 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


ing in the temple, I saw Jesus again, in a vision, and heard him 
say, Make haste; go quickly out of Jerusalem, for the Jews will 
not believe what thou tellest them about me, and I will send 
thee far away to preach among the Gentiles. 

And all the multitude of the Jews, to whom Paul was speak¬ 
ing, listened until he had spoken these words about preaching 
to the Gentiles; then they cried out with loud voices, Kill 
him, for such a fellow is not fit to live. As they said this 
and, in their rage, cast off* their outer garments, and threw 
dust in the air, the chief captain commanded that Paul should 
be brought into the castle and scourged, to make him confess 
what evil he had done. 

But as they bound him with cords, and made ready to scourge 
him, Paul said to the centurion who stood near by, Is it lawful 
for you to scourge a man that is a free Roman, before any evil 
has been proved against him ? When the centurion heard this, 
he went and told the chief captain, saying, Be careful what 
thou doest, for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain 
came and said to Paul, Tell me, art thou a Roman ? He an¬ 
swered, Yes. The chief captain said, I paid a great sum of 
money to be made a free Roman. Paul answered, But I was 
born free. He said this because his father was a freeman, as 
we have read. Then the men who were about to scourge him, 
went away and left him ; and the chief captain, also, after he 
heard that Paul was a Roman, was afraid lest he might be 
punished for having bound him. 

The next day, when the chief captain wanted to know cer¬ 
tainly what the Jews accused him of, he commanded all the 
council of the Sanhedrim to meet together, and brought Paul 
down and set him before them. And Paul looking earnestly 
upon them, said, Men and Brethren, I have done only those 
things that my conscience told me were right, until this day. 
Then Ananias, the high priest, ordered those who stood near 
Paul to smite him on the mouth. Paul said, God shall smite 
thee, thou hypocrite, for pretending to try me according to the 
law, and yet commanding me to be smitten before I am proved 
guilty, which is against the law. The Jews said to him, Dost 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


681 


thou insult the high priest ? Paul answered, I did not know, 
brethren, that he was the high priest, for it is written in the Bible 
that we must not speak evil of the one who rules over us. 

Then Paul tried again to speak to the men in the council, 
but soon there arose such a great uproar among them, that 
the chief captain, fearing he might be torn in pieces, com¬ 
manded the soldiers to go and take him from them, by force, 
and bring him into the castle. 

The next night, while Paul was kept a prisoner, the Lord 
Jesus came and stood by him, and said, Fear not, Paul, for as 
thou hast spoken about me to the people here in Jerusalem, so 
shalt thou also speak about me in the city of Rome. And in 
the morning some of the Jews agreed together, and promised 
one another solemnly, that they would neither eat bread, nor 
drink water, till they had killed Paul. There were more than 
forty who made this promise. Then they went to the chief 
priests and elders, and said to them, We have agreed with one 
another that we will not eat, nor drink, till we have slain Paul. 
Now, therefore, do you tell the chief captain to bring him down 
to-morrow before the council, as though you wanted to ask some 
more questions of him ; and while he is being brought, we will 
come upon him and kill him. 

But Paul’s sister’s son heard what the Jews said, and he went 
into the castle and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the cen¬ 
turions to him, saying, Bring this young man to the chief cap¬ 
tain, for he has something to tell him. So the centurion took 
him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner begged me 
to bring this young man to thee. 

Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and led him to 
a place alone and asked him, saying, What is it thou hast to 
tell me ? The young man answered, The Jews have agreed to 
ask thee to bring Paul down to-morrow, before the council, pre¬ 
tending they wish to inquire something more of him. But do 
not thou bring him, for there will be hidden, by the way, more 
than forty of them, who have promised each other solemnly that 
they will neither eat, nor drink, till they have killed him. And 
they are now waiting, hoping that thou wilt do as they ask. Then 


682 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


the chief captain let the young man go, saying, See thou tell no 
one that thou hast spoken these things to me. 

The Roman governor of Judea was named Felix. He did not 
live at Jerusalem, but at the city of Cesarea, which was on the 
sea coast, about sixty miles from Jerusalem. When the chief 
captain heard that the Jews wanted to kill Paul, he determined 
to send him to the governor. So he called to him two centurions, 
and said to them, Make ready two hundred foot soldiers, and 
seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, to go to Cesarea 
at the third hour of the night. And send also beasts for Paul, 
and the men who are with him, to ride upon, that he may be 
taken safe to Felix, the governor of Judea. 

And the chief captain wrote a letter to the governor, saying, 
The man whom I send to thee was taken by the Jews, who were 
about to kill him: then I went with soldiers and took him from 
them, for I heard he was a Roman. And because I wanted to 
know what evil they accused him of, I brought him before their 
council, and found that he had not done anything for which he 
ought to be put to death. When it was told me that they were 
still determined to kill him, I sent him to thee, and command¬ 
ed the Jews who accused him, to go and tell thee what they 
had against him. Farewell. 

Then the soldiers took Paul and brought him by night, to the 
town of Antipatris, which was on the way to Cesarea. There 
the foot-soldiers left him and returned to the castle at Jerusalem, 
but the horsemen brought him the next day to the governor at 
Cesarea; and they gave the governor the letter which the chief 
captain had sent. After reading the letter the governor asked 
Paul in what part of the empire he was born; when Paul told 
him, he said, I will hear what thou hast to say when the Jews 
who accuse thee shall also come to Cesarea. And he command¬ 
ed that Paul should be kept in prison till they came. 



THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


683 


CHAPTERS XXIV.-XXVIIL 


A. D. 60-65. 


THE JEWS ACCUSE PAUL, WHO DEFENDS HIMSELF BEFORE FELIX AND 
AGRIPPA. HE APPEALS TO CJESAR ; IS SENT TO ROME; HE IS SHIP¬ 
WRECKED ON THE WAY. AT ROME HE PREACHES THE GOSPEL. THE 
SUPPOSED MANNER OF HIS DEATH. 



FTER five days, Ananias, the high priest, and some of the 


H. council, came down from Jerusalem to Cesarea. They 
brought with them also a lawyer, named Tertullus, that he might 
speak against Paul before the governor. And when Paul was 
brought out of the prison to be tried, Tertullus began to accuse 
him, saying, We have found this fellow to be a wicked man, 
who is stirring up trouble and disorder among the Jews all over 
the world; and he is a chief one among those who believe in 
Jesus of Nazareth. He has also brought Gentiles into the tem¬ 
ple, who are not allowed to go there. And we would have tried 
him according to our law, to see what his punishment should be, 
but the chief captain came with soldiers and took him from us, 
by force, commanding us to come before thee and accuse him. 
Now, therefore, we are here, ready to prove all the things that 
we speak against him. When Tertullus had finished, the Jews 
who were with him said that all he had spoken was true. 

Then Paul, after the governor had given him permission, 
answered, saying, It is now but twelve days since I went up 
to Jerusalem to worship, and they found me in the temple, yet 
not disputing with any man, nor trying to stir up the people; 
neither can they prove the things which they speak against 
me. But this I confess to thee, that I worship God in a way 
different from them, although I believe everything that is 
written in their Scriptures. And I expect the dead, both the 
bad and the good, to rise up at the last day, as the Jews 
themselves say that they will. And believing this, I am try¬ 
ing all the time to do nothing that my conscience tells me is 
wrong, either to God or to man. 

Now after being away from Jerusalem for many years, I 
came back at this time to bring alms to the poor Jews there, 
and also an offering to God. And some Jews from Asia found 


684 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


me in the temple, yet not with a multitude nor causing any 
disturbance. And they are the ones who should have been 
here to tell if they had anything against me. Or let these 
Jews who are here now say, whether they found any evil in me 
when I was taken before the council in Jerusalem, unless they 
will say it was wrong for me to preach about the dead rising 
up from their graves at the Judgment day. 

After Paul had spoken these things Felix would hear no 
more, but he sent the Jews away, saying, When the chief cap¬ 
tain shall come down I will ask him all about your matters. 
And he commanded the centurion to keep Paul in prison, but 
to let him walk out, and to see any of his friends who should 
come to visit him. 

Now, Drusilla, the wife of Felix, was a Jewess. And after 
some days, Felix sent for Paul to come and speak to him and 
Drusilla, and explain the gospel to them. And as Paul spoke 
to them, persuading them to obey God, and not listen to temp¬ 
tation, and told them how they must be judged at the last 
day, Felix thought of his sins, and was afraid so that he trem¬ 
bled. Yet he did not repent of those sins, but sent Paul back 
to prison, saying, At some other time, when it shall be more 
convenient, I will send for thee again to tell me about these 
things. Felix hoped also that Paul would offer him money to 
let him go free, and on that account he sent for him the oftener 
to talk with him. But after two years, when another governor, 
named Festus, came to take Felix’s place, instead of letting 
Paul go, Felix left him in prison. 

When Festus, the new governor, was come to Cesarea, the 
Jews asked of him that Paul might be sent to Jerusalem to be 
tried; for they intended now, as they did before, to have men 
hidden by the way who would rise up and kill him. But Festus 
answered them, and said, Paul shall stay in Cesarea, and those 
who wish to accuse him, may come here and say what they have 
against him. So when they had come, the governor commanded 
Paul to be brought before them, and the Jews stood and accused 
him of many things. But Paul answered for himself, saying, 
Neither against the laws of the Jews, nor against the temple, 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


685 


nor against Caesar, have I done anything wrong. Then Festus, 
because he wanted to please the Jews, answered Paul, and said, 
Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there be tried for 
the things they accuse thee of? 

Now it was a law, that any Roman who was going to be put 
to death, might ask to be taken before Caesar, the emperor, 
for the emperor to say whether he should die, or be allowed to 
live. And when Festus asked Paul if he were willing to go 
up to Jerusalem to be tried before the Jews, who he knew 
were determined to kill him, Paul answered, saying, Jerusa¬ 
lem is not the place where I ought to be tried; for I have 
done no wrong to the Jews, as thou very well knowest. I ask 
to be taken before Caesar. Then Festus said, Hast thou asked 
to be taken before Caesar? Unto Caesar shalt thou go. He 
meant that Paul should be taken to the city of Rome, where 
the emperor Caesar lived. 

Some days after this, Agrippa, who was king over another 
part of the land of Israel, came with his sister Bernice, to visit 
Festus at Cesarea. And Festus told him about Paul, saying, 
There is a man here in prison, whom the chief priests and elders 
of the Jews have asked me to put to death. Now Agrippa was 
a Jew, and when the governor told him that the Jews wanted 
to put Paul to death, he said, I would like also to hear what 
the man says, myself. Festus answered, To-morrow thou shalt 
hear him. 

The next day Agrippa came, and Bernice, dressed in their 
royal robes, with the chief captains and principal men of the 
city around them. And Festus sent for Paul to be brought out 
of prison, and he came with the chains, such as prisoners wore, 
fastened upon him. Then Festus told Agrippa that this was the 
man whom the Jews wanted to kill. And Agrippa spoke to 
Paul, saying, Thou hast permission to speak for thyself, and to 
answer the things which the Jews say against thee. Then Paul 
stood up and told king Agrippa he was very glad that he might 
make his answer to him, because he was sure that the king had 
learned all about the laws of the Jews, and would understand 
what he was now going to say before him. 


686 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


Then Paul said, The Jews themselves know very well how I 
have lived, and what I have done, ever since I was a child. For 
I also am a Jew, and if they would speak the truth they would 



PAUL BEFORE KING AGRIPPA. 


say, that I used to be one of the strictest among them. I, too, 
thought that I ought to do many things against Jesus of Naza¬ 
reth. Many of his disciples I shut up in prison, and when they 
were tried and put to death, I was one of those who spoke against 








THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


687 


them. I punished them in every synagogue, and did all I could 
to make them speak against their Saviour. And being full of 
rage against them, I went even to other cities to seek for them. 
But as I was going to Damascus, when I came near that city, I 
saw, in the middle of the day, a light from heaven, brighter than 
the sun, that shone around me and the men who were with me. 
And we were all afraid and fell to the earth. 

Then Paul told Agrippa and Festus, and all who were listen¬ 
ing to him, how Jesus spoke to him at that time, and said, that 
he had come to make Paul a minister, and send him to preach 
the gospel to the Gentiles, so that they might repent and have 
their sins forgiven. And when I had heard his voice, Paul said, 
I did not disobey what the Lord commanded, but went and 
preached to the Jews at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and also 
to the Gentiles, telling them to repent and obey God. And 
because I did this, the Jews caught me in the temple and 
were about to kill me. But God saved me from them. There¬ 
fore, since God helped me, I have kept on preaching till this 
day to all the people, both the poor and the rich. Yet I 
have told them only those things which the prophets said 
should happen; that Jesus would be put to death, and after¬ 
ward would rise up from the dead, and be a Saviour both to 
the Jews and the Gentiles. 

While Paul was speaking, Festus, the governor, said, with a 
loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth 
make thee mad. He meant that Paul had lost his senses, and 
was crazy, because he had read and thought so much about what 
was written in the Scriptures. But Paul answered, I am not 
mad, most noble Festus; but am speaking only words that are 
true. And king Agrippa understands what I say; for I am 
sure he has heard of all these things. Then Agrippa said to 
Paul, Thou dost almost persuade me too, to be a Christian. 
Paul said, I wish that not only thou, but also all these persons 
who are listening to me this day, were Christians such as I am, 
except that they might not have to wear these chains. 

When Paul had spoken these words, Agrippa rose up, and 
Festus, and the chief men of the city who were with them, 


688 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE . 


and they went alone to talk with one another, saying, This man 
has not done anything for which he should be put to death, 
or kept in prison. Then Agrippa said to Festus, He might 
have been set at liberty if he had not asked to be taken to 
Rome, before Csesar. 

When the time came for Paul to be sent to Rome, Festus gave 
him, and some other prisoners that were to go there, into the 
care of a centurion, who took soldiers with them to guard them 
by the way. And they went into a ship that sailed from Cesarea, 
and came the next day to the city of Sidon. Here they stopped 
for a while, and the centurion, whose name was Julius, treated 
Paul kindly, letting him go on the shore to visit some friends 
whom he had in that city. 

After leaving Sidon they came to the city of Myra. There 
the centurion took his prisoners on board of another ship in 
which they sailed toward Rome. After sailing slowly many 
days they reached a place called the Fair Havens, in the island 
of Crete. And now as it was winter, and the time for storms on 
the sea had come, Paul said to the men on the ship, Sirs, I see 
that while w r e are on this voyage there will be great danger, not 
only to the ship, but also to our lives. But the master of the 
ship, because he did not believe what Paul said, nor think the 
Fair Havens a good harbor to stay in for the winter, determined 
to leave it and try to reach a place called Phenice. And when 
there came a wind that blew softly from the south, the sailors 
thought they would be able to do this. Therefore they left the 
Fair Havens and sailed out on the sea again. 

But soon there arose a fierce wind, that beat against the 
ship; and when the sailors could steer no longer, they let her 
go wherever the wind might drive her. And they came near 
to an island called Clauda, and there could hardly save the 
little boat that was fastened behind the ship, from being washed 
away; but when they had taken it up out of the water, they 
wound cables, or chains, about the ship, underneath and all 
around it, to keep it from breaking to pieces. And being 
greatly tossed by the tempest, the next day they threw out 
into the sea some of the cargo to make the ship lighter, and 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


689 


save it from sinking. The day after they threw over all the 
ropes and sails that could be spared. 

When the wind kept on blowing for many days, and they 
could see neither sun, nor moon, nor stars, because of the dark 
clouds that covered the sky, the people in the ship gave up all 
hope, thinking they would surely be lost. But after they had 
eaten nothing for a long time, Paul stood up among them, and 
said, Sirs, you should have listened to me and stayed at the island 



SHIPWRECK OP PAUL. 


of Crete, then you would not have come into this great danger. 
Yet now I beg you be not afraid, for there shall be no loss of 
any man’s life among you ; but only of the ship. For this night 
the Lord sent his angel, who spoke to me, saying, Fear not, 
Paul, thou shalt come safely to Pome and be brought before 
Caesar; and, for thy sake, God will save the lives of all the 
men who are with thee in the ship. Therefore, sirs, be cheer¬ 
ful ; for I believe what the angel told me. Yet we shall be 
wrecked on some island. 


44 




690 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


And when the fourteenth night had come, as the ship was 
driven along by the wind, the sailors thought they were near 
some land; and, after they had sounded, that is, measured the 
depth of the water, they found that it was so. And fearing 
they would strike on the rocks at the bottom of the sea, they 
dropped four anchors out of the ship to keep it from being 
driven any further, and then wished for the morning. But 
the sailors, supposing the ship would soon be broken to pieces, 
let down the little boat into the water, intending to escape in 
it and leave the others to be drowned. But Paul said to the 
centurion, Except these sailors stay in the ship, the rest cannot 
be saved. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes that held the boat, 
and let it float away without any one in it. 

When it was near morning, Paul begged them all to take 
something to eat, saying, This is the fourteenth day since the 
storm came upon us, and you have eaten hardly anything. 
Therefore, I pray you, take some food, that you be not made 
sick; for there shall not the least harm happen to any one of 
you. When he had said this he took bread, and thanked God 
for it before them all, and began to eat. Then were they all 
cheerful, and did eat with him. There were altogether two 
hundred and seventy-six persons in the ship. And after they 
had eaten they threw into the sea some of the wheat, with 
which the ship was loaded, to lighten it. 

When it was day they saw the shore, though they could not 
tell to what land they had come; and seeing a creek a little way 
off, they determined, if they were able, to push the ship into it. 
After they had taken up the anchors and hoisted the sail, they 
steered toward that place; but before they reached it the ship 
ran aground, and the forepart was held fast on the bottom of 
the sea, and could not be moved, but the hinder part was broken 
by the great waves that dashed against it. Then the soldiers 
advised the centurion to have the prisoners killed, for fear some 
of them might escape. But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, 
forbade them to do the prisoners any harm; and commanded 
that those who could swim should first cast themselves into the 
sea, and get to the shore. The rest, some on boards, and some 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 691 

on broken pieces of the ship, came afterward. So it was that 
they all safely reached land. 

When they had come there they found it was an island called 
Melita. The people of the island showed them great kindness, 
and kindled a fire for them, because of the rain that was falling, 
and because of the cold. And Paul gathered a bundle of sticks 
and laid them on the fire, but after he had done so a poisonous 
snake came out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. When 
the people of the island saw it hanging upon his hand, they 
said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, who 
though he has escaped drowning in the sea, is yet punished by 
the bite of the snake for the evil he has done. But Paul shook 
off the snake into the fire and felt no harm. Then they looked 
at him a long while, expecting that his arm would swell, or 
that he would fall down dead suddenly, but when they saw 
no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said 
that he was a god. 

The chief man of the island, whose name was Publius, invited 
Paul and those who were with him, to his house, and they went 
and stayed three days, being kindly treated there. Now the 
father of Publius was sick of a fever, and Paul laid his hands 
on him and made him well. When he had done this others 
who were sick in the island, came and were healed. And they 
showed their gratitude by giving to Paul and his friends pres¬ 
ents of such things as they needed. 

After three months, the centurion took Paul, and the other 
prisoners, into a ship that had been waiting at the island till 
the winter was over, and they sailed away to the city of Pu- 
teoli, where they stayed seven days with some disciples w 7 ho 
lived there; then they journeyed by land toward Rome. When 
the Christians at Rome heard Paul was coming, they w 7 ent 
out to meet him at a place called the Three Taverns. After 
he had seen them, he gave thanks because he had been saved 
from so many dangers; and he felt in his heart that God 
would still take care of him. 

When they came to Rome, the centurion gave the prisoners 
into the care of the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed 


692 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


to live in a house by himself with the soldier who watched over 
him: yet the chains that he had worn so long, were not taken 
off from him. And after three days, he sent for the chief men 
among the Jews who lived at Rome, and said to them, Men and 
brethren, though I have done no wrong to the Jews, nor dis¬ 
obeyed the laws which Moses spoke to our fathers, yet the 
Jews at Jerusalem gave me as a prisoner to the Romans, who, 
when they examined me, would have let me go, because I 



PAUL REACHES ROME IN CHAINS. 


had done nothing for which I deserved to die. But when 
the Jews still wanted to kill me, I asked to be taken before 
Caesar. Therefore I have sent for you to come, that I might 
see you, and speak with you, for it is because I believe in that 
Saviour about whom the prophets have written, that I am 
bound with this chain. 

When he said this the Jews answered, We have had no 
letters sent to us about thee, neither do those Jews who have 









THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


693 


come from Jerusalem, speak any harm of thee. Yet we would 
like to hear what it is thou dost preach; for, as for these Chris¬ 
tians, we know that everywhere they are spoken against. So 
after they had appointed a day, many of the Jews came to 
Paul’s house and he taught them, explaining what the prophets 
had written about Jesus, from morning till evening. And some 
believed the things he spoke, and some believed not. While 
they differed among themselves, he told them that the prophet 
Isaiah had spoken the truth when he said, that although a 
message from God should be brought to the people of Israel, 
they would not listen to it, because their hearts were wicked 
and they did not want to be his children. Therefore Paul 
told them, that the gospel which the Jews refused to believe 
should be preached to the Gentiles, and the Gentiles, he said, 
would obey it. 

Paul stayed two whole years in Rome, and lived in a house 
which he hired for himself. There he welcomed all those per¬ 
sons who came to hear him, and he taught them about Jesus, 
without fear, for no man tried to prevent him. 

The Bible does not tell us where Paul went after this, or how 
he died at last. But from accounts given in other books it is 
thought, that when he was set free at Rome he went back to 
Jerusalem, and then travelled through other countries preaching 
the gospel, till he came to Rome again. Not many years after 
Ihis time, there was a great fire at Rome which continued burning 
for six or seven days. The people believed that their wicked 
emperor Nero had ordered the city set on fire. To save himself 
from the blame, Nero accused the Christians of doing it. Then 
the people rose up in great fury against the Christians, and put 
many of them to death. Among those who were killed, we are 
told, w T ere the apostles Peter and Paul. Paul, it is said, was 
beheaded, and Peter crucified. 

We suppose that Paul was beheaded and not crucified, be¬ 
cause it w r as against the law to crucify a Roman, for that 
was the way in which they put slaves to death; and no Ro¬ 
man might be treated as a slave, even when they were put¬ 
ting him to death. But Peter was not a free Roman, and 


694 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


him, we are told, they crucified. It made no difference to 
these holy men how they died; they knew that afterward 
they would be taken to heaven. And so we, who hope to 
meet them, will be taken there, if like them we are the dis¬ 
ciples of Jesus. But if we are not his disciples, then he says 
to us, as he said to the Jews who would not believe on him. 
Where I am, there you cannot come. 


THE EPISTLES. 


A. D. 54-90. 


FTER the Acts of the Apostles, come the Epistles. An 



epistle is a letter, and the Epistles in the New Testament 
are letters which were written by the apostles; some of them to 
particular churches; some of them to all the churches that 
were then in the world; and some of them to persons who 
were living at that time. 

When Jesus sent out the apostles to teach the people of all 
nations, he meant that they should do it not only by speaking 
to them, but also by writing to them. And he gave them 
the Holy Spirit to tell them both what they should speak and 
what they should write. What the apostles spoke is forgot¬ 
ten; for they have long since been dead, and so have the 
persons who heard them. But what they wrote, we can still 
read in the Epistles. 

There are twenty-one epistles. Paul wrote fourteen of 
them, Peter two, John three, James one, and Jude, or Thad- 
deus, one. Like the rest of the Bible, the Epistles are a mes¬ 
sage from God, not from men; and they were intended as much 
for us, as for those to whom they were sent at the time they 
were written. Whatever they teach we are to believe, re¬ 
member, and obey. 

We are taught in the Epistles that all the people in the world, 
being born with wicked hearts, have sinned against God; and 
that they all would be punished for their sins, had not God 
loved them so much as to send his only Son, Jesus, to be pun- 




THE EPISTLES. 


695 


ished in their place. Yet not all of them are forgiven on this 
account, but only those who believe in Jesus. And how can 
we tell who believes in him ? for a person may say he believes 
when he does not. We can tell by the way he acts. If he 
believes in Jesus he will love him, and obey his command¬ 
ments, that is, he will be a Christian. 

And we are told in the Epistles how Christians ought to live, 
and what sort of people they should be. They should be honest, 
industrious, sober, humble; good to the poor; kind to those who 
are unkind to them; speaking evil of no one; loving and for¬ 
giving one another; trying to persuade others to be Christians; 
thankful for their blessings; patient when they have trouble; 
full of joy, because they are saved; hating what is wicked; 
loving what is good; earnest in prayer, striving in every word 
and act to please God. 

But Christians cannot do these things by themselves, for 
although they desire to do them, Satan is always tempting them 
to sin. He is their great enemy, who, we are told, is going 
about like a roaring lion, seeking to destroy them. Yet they 
have a friend who is stronger than he. For that same Jesus 
who came on the earth to die for them, now looks down from 
heaven and watches over them. He hears their prayers, and 
helps them to fight against Satan’s temptations. And when 
they are overcome, and fall into sin, while they mourn, and 
repent of it, he asks God to forgive them. 

He does more than this. Because they have no righteousness, 
or goodness of their own, to make God pleased with them, he 
gives them his righteousness, and God counts it the same as if 
it were theirs, and as if they had never sinned. And at the last 
day God will accept all those who have this righteousness, and 
will take them up to heaven where Jesus is, and where they 
will never be tempted to sin any more. 

The Epistles tell us that as the end of the world draws near, 
there will be scoffers, or persons who mock at the Bible as though 
it were not true. They will say, If Jesus is coming again to 
judge the world, as the Bible says he is, why is he so long in 
coming ? They will not believe the true reason—that God is 


696 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


waiting to give wicked men time to repent, because he is not 
willing that any should perish, but that all should repent of 
their sins and have everlasting life. 

But although God has waited so long, he will not wait always. 
For we are told that the day of the Lord, that is, the day of 
Judgment, shall come as a thief comes in the night, when no one 
is expecting it. Then the world, with its mighty kingdoms, 
its splendid cities, and all the great and beautiful things that 
men have made, will be burned up, but the people who have 
lived in it, will rise up out of their graves to be judged. And 
now, since God has told us of this, how careful we who are 
Christians should be to live holy lives, so that when the day 
of the Lord does come, and Jesus descends to the earth again, 
we may be ready to meet him. 

We have read in the Gospels, and in the book of Acts, that Jesus 
is God, and that the Holy Ghost is God. We are taught this 
again in the Epistles. We are taught there that God the Father, 
God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, are three persons who 
rule over all things. Yet they are not three Gods, but the three 
together are one God. We cannot understand this any more 
than we can understand how God never had any beginning, or 
how he is in every place at one time; but we can believe it, be¬ 
cause the Bible tells us that it is so. It is God the Father who 
made us; it is God the Son who died for us; it is God the Holy 
Ghost who comes into our hearts and makes us love, and obey, 
the Father and the Son—that is, who makes us Christians. We 
need not be afraid, therefore, of worshipping one more than the 
other, for they are all of them God. When we pray to Jesus, 
we pray to God. When we pray to the Holy Ghost, we pray 
to God. And when we pray to God, we pray to the Father, 
the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 


THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN. 


697 



JOHN IN THE ISLAND OP PATMOS. 










698 


THE STORY OF THE BIBLE. 


THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN. 


A. D. 90. 


T HE last Book in the Bible is called Revelation. It was writ¬ 
ten by the Apostle John. One of the wicked emperors of 
Rome, being angry because he preached the gospel, sent John 
to a lonely island named Patmos. There, we are told, he was 
treated cruelly and made to work in the mines, though he was 
a very old man at the time. 

But while he was at Patmos the Saviour appeared to him, in 
a vision, and showed him those things that are written in the 
Book of Revelation. John says, I heard behind me a great 
voice like a trumpet, and I turned to see who it was that spoke 
to me, and saw Jesus clothed in a garment that reached down 
to his feet, and around his breast was a golden girdle. When 
John saw him he was afraid, and fell down like one dead; but 
Jesus laid his right hand upon him, saying, Fear not, I am he 
that was crucified; but, behold, I am alive again, and will live 
forevermore. And Jesus talked with John, and gave him mes¬ 
sages to seven different churches in the land of Asia, and told 
him to write down the messages in a book, and send them to the 
seven churches for which they were intended. 

Afterward John saw a door opened in heaven and a voice 
called to him, saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee what 
will happen hereafter. And he heard the voices of a great mul¬ 
titude of angels praising the Saviour, and calling him The 
Lamb that was slain. Then, in the vision, John was shown many 
wonderful things, which were meant to teach him what would 
happen to Christians on the earth, from that time until the end 
of the world. He was shown how wicked nations and kings 
would persecute them, and kill them, hoping that none of them 
might be left. But he was shown also how the Lord would de¬ 
stroy those nations and kings, and save his people, so that at 
last no enemy could hurt them. 

After this John saw a great white throne in heaven, and 
Jesus sat upon it. And he saw the dead risen up from their 



THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN. 


699 


graves; and they came and stood before the throne to be judged. 
Then the books were opened in which was written down every¬ 
thing they had done while they were living on the earth. And 
they were judged out of the books according to what was writ¬ 
ten there. And another book was opened, called the book of 
life, in which were written the names of those who had believed 
in Jesus. And whoever had not his name written in the book 
of life, was cast into the lake of fire. 

And after the Judgment was past, John saw new skies, and 
a new earth, for the earth and the skies that had been before, 
were burned up. And he saw a beautiful city, called the New 
Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, and heard a voice, say¬ 
ing, God is coming to live with men. Around the city was a 
great and high wall, with twelve gates. At each gate was an 
angel to guard it. The city was built of pure gold; in its walls 
were all kinds of precious stones, and its gates were made of 
pearls. There was no need of sun or moon to lighten it, for God 
was there, and the Lord Jesus, and the glory that shone around 
them made it light. The people whom Jesus had saved out of 
all nations were to come and live in it. The gates should never 
be shut, for there will be no night there. And none of the 
wicked shall go into it, but only those whose names are written 
in the Lamb’s book of life. 

And John saw also a pure River of water, called the water of 
life. By its side, as it flowed through the streets of the city, 
grew the tree of life, that bore twelve different kinds of fruit 
which ripened every month. And those who shall live in the 
city and drink of the waters of the River, and eat of the fruits 
of the tree of life, shall see the Lord’s face and be with him and 
serve him. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and 
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying; neither 
shall there be any more pain, for all these things will have passed 
away forever. And Jesus spoke to John, saying, Blessed are 
those who obey God’s commandments, that they may enter in 
through the gates into the city. 


INDEX. 


A ARON meets Moses, 98; consecrated 
-AA- High-Priest, 133; makes the golden 
calf, 126; his rod blossoms, 158; sins at 
the rock, 159; dies on Mount Hor, 161. 
Abdon, 208. 

Abednego, 438, 444. 

Abel, 15, 16. 

Abia, course of, 500. 

Abiathar, 271, 282. 

Abigail, 274-276. 

Abihu, 136. 

Abijah, 382, 383. 

Abimelech, 203, 204. 

Abinadab, 245, 288. 

Abiram, 155-157. 

Abishai, 276, 300, 307. 

Abner, 266, 277, 278. 

Abraham, 26-47. 

Absalom, 297-304. 

Achan, 184. 

Achish, 268, 279. 

Adam, 11—17. 

Adonijah, 311. 

Adullam, cave of, 269. 

Agabus, 655. 

Agrippa, 685-688. 

Ahab, 333-351. 

Ahasuerus, 468-474. 

Ahaz, 398-400. 

Ahaziah, king of Israel, 351,352. 

Ahaziah, king of Judah, 388,389. 
Ahimelech, 268, 270,271. 

Ahimaaz, 304, 306. 

Ahio, 288. % 

Ahithophel, 298-302. 

Aholiab, 125, 130,131. 

Ai, 184-186. 

Alexander, 491. 

Altar, 15. 

Altar of Burnt-offering, 123, 131. 

Altar of Incense, 124, 131. 

Amalekites, 117, 254. 

Amaziah, king of Judah, 393-395. 
Amaziah, idol’s priest, 377. 

Ammon, king of Judah, 413. 

Amos, 376, 377. 

Amram, 93. 

Ananias, husband of Sapphira. 634. 
Ananias, a disciple of Damascus, 645. 
Andrew, 515. 

Angels, 257. 

Animals, clean and unclean, 136. 

Anna, 506. 

Anoint, 124, 133, 249, 257. 

Anointing the head, 537. 

Antioch, in Syria ; 655, 658, 663. 

Antioch, in Pisidia, 659. 

Antiochus, 491. 

Apostles, names of, 530. 

Apollonius, 491. 

Aquila, 670. 

Araunah, 308, 309. 

Ark, 19-23; of the Covenant, 122,130. 
Armor-bearer, 252. 

ArEr^t 22 

Artaxerxes I., 460; II., 463; HI., 481. 

Asa, 383-385. 

Asenath, 72. 

700 


Ashdod, 242. 

Ashtaroth, 195. 

Assyrians, 378-381. 

Athaliah, 389, 390. 

Athens, 668. 

Atonement, day of, 138. 

B AAL, first mentioned, 195. 

Baasha, 332,333. 

Baalzebub, 351. 

Babel, 25, 26. 

Babylon, 411, 447. 

Balaam, 162-166. 

Balak, 162-166. 

Baptism, by John, 511. 

Baptism, by the Holy Ghost, 513. 
Barabbas, 610. 

Barak, 196,197. 

Barnabas, 647, 655, 658-662. 

Bartimeus, 582. 

Baruch, 418,419. 

Barzillai, 302, 307. 

Bashan, 169. 

Bathsheba, 292-297. 

Beersheba, 39, 49. 

Belshazzar, 450-453. 

Benhadad, 344, 345, 348, 362, 366, 370. 
Benjamin is born, 63. 

Benjamin is taken to Egypt, 79-84. 
Berea, 668. 

Bernice, 685. 

Bethany, 566. 

Bethel, 52, 63, 328. 

Bethesda, 527. 

Bethlehem first mentioned, 63. 
Bethlehem, Jesus to be born there, 412. 
Bethshemesh, 245. 

Bethuel, 45. 

Bezaleel, 125,130,131. 

Birthright, 47. 

Blasphemer, 142. 

Boaz, 223-225. 

Books, ancient form of, 414. 

Book of the Law, 176. 

Booth, 61, 140, 488. 

Brazen Serpent, 162. 

Breast-plate, 124. 

Bricks, 99. 

Burning bush, 96. 

Burnt-offering, 134. 

r^iESAR, 612, 685. 

^ Caiaphas, 606. 

Cain, 15-17. 

Caleb, 153-155, 167. 

Calvary, 615. 

Camels, 43. 

Camp, plan of, 148. 

Cana, 515. 

Canaan, first mentioned, 26. 
Capernaum, 522. 

Carmel, 340. 

Cave of Adullam, 269. 

Cave where David spared Saul, 272. 
Censer, 136. 

Centurion, 536. 

Chaldeans, 420. 

Chief priests, 555. 




INDEX. 


701 


Children blessed by Jesus, 682. 

Christians, first so called, 655. 

Cleopas, 622. 

Consecrate, 124, 133. 

Cornelius, 650-654. 

Courses of priests appointed, 310, 
Covenant, 39. 

Creation, 9-12. 

Cushi, 304, 306. 

Cyprus, 658. 

Cyrus, predicted, 398. 

Cyrus reigns, 456-460. 

TV AGON, 217. 

_L/ Dagon falls before the Ark, 242. 
Damascus, 370, 399. 

Daniel chosen by Nebuchadnezzar, 438; 
interprets the king’s dreams, 441-443, 
448, 449; interprets the writing on the 
wall, 450,451; is cast into the den of 
lions, 454-456; prays for the return of 
the Jews, 456. 

Darius I., 453-456; II., 460-462. 

Dathan, 155-157. 

David anointed, 256; kills Goliath, 260; is 
pursued by Saul, 268-279; is king of 
Israel, 287-311; dies, 313. 

Deacons appointed, 637. 

Deborah, 196. 

Delilah, 215-217. 

Demetrius, 672. 

Derbe, 662. 

Diana, 672. 

Disciple, 515. 

Doeg, 268, 270. 

Dorcas, 649. 

Dothan, 65, 366. 

Dress, 67. 

Drusilla, 684. 

TT'DEN, 12. 

Edom, 63, 160. 

Ehud, 195. 

Elah, 333. 

Eleazer, High Priest, 161,167. 

Eleazer, Elder, 492. 

Eli is High-Priest, 236. 

Eli dies, 242. 

Elijah fed during the famine, 335; slays 
Baal’s prophets, 339; flees from Jezebel, 
340; calls down fire from heaven, 351; 
is taken to heaven, 353. 

Elim, 114. 

Elisha, called, 344; curses the mocking 
children, 355; inquired of by Jehoram, 
356; multiplies the widow’s oil, 358; 
raises the Shunammite’s child, 360; 
heals Naaman, 362-364; speaks with 
king Jehoash, 374; Elisha dies, 376. 
Elizabeth, 499-502. 

Elkanah, 236. 

El on, 208. 

Elymas, 658. 

Embalming, 89. 

Emmaus, 622. 

Endor, witch of, 279. 

Eneas, 649. 

Enoch, 17. 

Ephesus, 671-674. 

Ephron, 42. 

Esau, 47, 49-51, 58-63. 

Eshcol, 152. 

Esther, 469-480. 


Euphrates, 447. 

Eutychus raised to life, 674. 

Eve, 15. 

Evil spirits, 257. 

Ezekiel, book of, 428-438. 

Ezekiel, vision of the valley of dry bones, 
434. ’ 

Ezra, 462-467. 

Tj^AIR HAVENS, 688. 

Fall of man, 13, 14. 

Familiar spirits, 279. 

Famine, 27. 

Feast of harvest, 140; of passover, 107-110; 

of tabernacles, 140; of trumpets, 486. 
Felix, 682-684. 

Festus, 684-687. 

First-fruits, 174. 

Fleece, Gideon’s, 199. 

Flood, 19-22. 

GABRIEL, 456, 500, 501. 

Gad, prophet, 269, 309. 

Gamaliel, 636. 

Gates, 224. 

Gath, 242, 258, 268, 279. 

Gaza, 213, 643. 

Gedaliah, 424. 

Gehazi, 358, 364, 370. 

Gibeonites, 186-189. 

Gideon, 197-202. 

Gilboa, Mount, 283. 

Gleaning, 221. 

Golden calf, Aaron’s, 126; calves, Jero¬ 
boam’s, 328; candlestick, 122, 130. 
Goliath, 258-261. 

Gomorrah, destruction of, 33-35. 

Goshen, 86. 

Gospel, 524. 

TTAGAR, 30, 36-38. 

- L - L Haggai, 461. 

Hailstones, 189. 

Haman, 470-478. 

Hands, laying on of, 637, 658. 

Hannah, 236-238. 

Hazael, 370, 374. 

Hebrews, 100. 

Hebron, first named, 41. 

Hebron, David crowned there, 286. 

Herod the Great is made king, 496; re¬ 
builds the temple, 496; slays the chil¬ 
dren, 508; the tetrarch beheads John, 
518; mocks Christ, 609; Agrippa per¬ 
secutes the Church, 655; Agrippa dies, 
658. 

Herodias, 518. 

Hezekiah, 400-412. 

Hiram, 288. 

Holy Spirit sent into David’s heart, 257: 

{ iromised to the Jews, 437; promised 
o all who ask, 566; the baptism of, 
513; our Guide and Comforter, 602; 
renews our hearts, 567, 696. 

Hophni, 238-241. 

Hor, Mount, 160, 161. 

Horeb, 96, 117. 

Hosea, 378. 

Hoshea, 379. 

Houses, 525. 

Huldah, 414. 

Hushai, 299-301. 

I Hur, 117. 








702 


INDEX. 


TBZAN, 208. 

Iconium, 661. 

Incense, 124. 

Isaac, 36-39, 41, 47-52, 63. 

Isaiah, 397, 407. 

Ishmael, Abraham’s son, 30, 36. 

Ishmael, prince of Judah, 426. 

Ishbosheth, 286. 

Israel, Jacob’s new name, 59. 

Israel, kingdom of, ended, 381. 

TABESH-GILEAD, 249, 284. 

^ Jacob, his birth, 47; his dream, 52; re¬ 
turns from Laban’s house, 55; wrestles 
with the angel, 59; goes down into 
Egypt, 85; death of, 89. 

Jael, 197. 

Jair, 205. 

James, the Apostle, is called, 522. 

James killed by Herod, 655. 

Jason, 667. 

Jehoahaz, king of Judah,418; king of Is.,374. 
Jehoash, 374-376. 

Jehoiachin,419. 

Jehoiada, 389-392. 

Jehoiakim, 418, 419. 

Jehoram, king of Israel, 352, 367-372. 
Jehoram, king of Judah, 388. 

Jehoshaphat, 348-350, 385. 

Jehu, 371-374, 389. 

Jephthah, 206-208. 

Jeremiah, 417-427. 

Jericho, 178-183, 583. 

Jeroboam, king of Israel, 324-332. 
Jeroboam II., king of Israel, 376. 

Jerusalem taken by David, 287; destroyed 
by Nebuchadnezzar, 424; rebuilt by 
Nehemiah, 483; taken by the Homans, 
495. 

Jesse, 255. 

Jesus Christ is born, 504. 
goes to Jerusalem, 509. 
baptized by John, 512. 
tempted by Satan, 514. 
changes the water to wine, 516. 
heals the nobleman’s son, 520. 
heals Peter’s wife’s mother, 523. 
heals leprosy, 524, 562. 
heals a paralytic man, 526. 
heals a man on the Sabbath, 529. 
heals a woman on the Sabbath, 572. 
heals centurion’s servant, 536. 
rebukes Peter, 557. 

rebukes his disciples for wanting to be 
great, 560, 598. 

promises the Holy Spirit to all who 
ask, 567. 

raises the widow’s son, 537. 

raises the ruler’s daughter, 549. 

raises Lazarus, 571. 

anointed at Simon’s house, 538. 

stills the tempest, 546. 

feeds the multitude, 552, 556. 

is transfigured, 558. 

heals the blind, 549, 556, 567, 583. 

heals the deaf, 556. 

casts out evil spirits, 548, 550, 556, 559. 
cleanses the temple, 516. 
chooses the twelve apostles, 530. 
chooses seventy disciples, 567. 
enters Jerusalem in triumph, 587. 
eats the Passover, 598. 
washes the Apostles’ feet, 599. 


Jesus Christ institutes the Lord’s Supper, 
601. 

oes to Gethsemane, 603. 
rought before Caiaphas, 606. 
brought before Pilate, 609. 
brought before Herod, 609. 
scourged, 610. 
is mocked, 608, 611. 
is crucified, 615. 
laid in the sepulchre, 619. 
rises the third day, 620. 
appears to the women, 620. 
appears to disciples, 622-628. 
ascends to heaven, 628. 

Jethro, 95, 98. 

Jezebel, 333, 337, 340, 347, 373. 

Jezreel, 198, 346, 372. 

Joab, 294-297, 302-308. 

Joash, 389-393. 

Job, 225-230. 

Jochebed, 93. 

John, the Baptist, predicted, 398; born, 502; 
preaches repentance, 511; is beheaded, 
518. 

John, the apostle, is called, 522; at the 
Cross, 616; at the sepulchre, 621; goes 
with Peter to the temple, 631. 

Jonah, 231-236. 

Jonathan, 251-254, 262-267, 283. 

Joppa, 231, 649. 

Jordan, first mentioned, 28. 

Joseph tells his dreams, 64; sold into Egypt, 
66; made ruler over Egypt, 72; dies, 
92; is buried in Canaan, 194. 

Joseph, husband of Mary. 502, 508. 

Joseph of Arimathea, 618. 

Joshua appointed ruler over Israel, 175; 
fights with the Amalekites, 117; goes 
with Moses up Mount Sinai, 122; spies 
out the land of Canaan, 153; takes 
Jericho, 182; dies, 194. 

Josiah, his birth predicted, 329. 

Josiah reigns over Judah, 413-418. 

Jotham, 397. 

Jubilee, 144. 

Judah, son of Jacob, 66, 78, 81. 

Judas Iscariot objects to the anointing of 
Jesus, 596; Satan enters into, 600; be¬ 
trays Christ, 604; hangs himself, 613. 

Judges, 195. 

Judgment Day, 595. 

TTEDRON, 298. 

Keilah, 271. 

Kirjath-jearim, 245, 288. 

Kish, 247. 

Korah, 155-157. 

T A BAN, 45, 53-57. 

Laver, 125,133. 

Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha 
570, 571. 

Lazarus, the beggar, 577. 

Leah, 54. 

Leprosy, 97, 137. 

Levites, 127, 146, 159, 168. 

Lot, 26-28, 33-35. 

Lydia, 664, 667. 

Lystra, 661, 664. 

■jV/fACCABEES, 493-495. 

- LV - 1 - Macedonia, 664. 

Maohpelah, cave of, 42, 90. 



INDEX. 


703 


Magicians, 101-103. 

Mahanaim, 302. 

Man, created, 10,11. 

Manasseh, son of Joseph, 73. 

Manasseh, king of Judah, 412,413. 

Manna sent, 114. 

Manna ceases, 181. 

Manoah, 208-210. 

Marah, 113. 

Mark, 656, 658, 664. 

Mars’ Hill, 668. 

Martha, 566, 570, 596. 

Mary, 566, 570, 596. 

Mary, the Virgin, is promised a son, 502; 
Jesus is born of, 504; is committed to 
the care of John, 616. 

Mary Magdalene, 621. 

Matthew, 527. 

Matthias 629. 

Meals, reclining at, 596. 

Melchizedek, 29. 

Melita, 691. 

Menahem, 378. 

Mephibosheth, 291. 

Mercy-seat, 122, 132. 

Meshach, 438, 444. 

Messiah, expected by the Jews, 554. 
Methuselah, 19. 

Micah, 411. 

Micaiah, 349. 

Michal, 263. 

Midian, 96. 

Midianites, 166, 167. 

Miletus, 674. 

Miriam, 151, 159. 

Mitre, 123. 

Moabites, 162. 

Molech, 139. 

Mordecai, 469-480. 

Moriah, 39, 310. 

Moses, from birth to flight into Midian, 
93-96; calls down the plagues on Egypt, 
100-110; receives the Law, 119; leads 
Israelites from Sinai to Canaan, 150- 
167; death of, 177. 

Most holy place, 137. 

Murmur, the Israelites, 111, 114, 125, 150, 
154, 161. 

JVTAAMAN, 362-364. 

Nabal, 273-276. 

Naboth, 346, 347. 

Nadab, son of Aaron, 136. 

Nadab, king of Israel, 332. 

Nain, 537. 

Naomi, 220-225. 

Nathan, 291, 293. 

Nathaniel, 515. 

Nazareth, 502, 508, 521. 

Nazarite, 209. 

Nebo, 176. 

Nebuchadnezzar, 418, 420, 438-450. 
Nehemiah, 481-490. 

Nero, 693, 

Nicodemus, 516. 

Nile, 171. 

Nineveh, 231-236. 

Noah, 19-24. 

Nob, 271. 

OBADIAH, 337. 

^ Obededom, 289. 

Og,m 


Olive-oil, 141. 

Omri, 333. 

Orpah, 220. 

Othniel, 195. 

"DAPHOS, 658. 

J ■ Parables: of the two houses, 535. 

of the rich man who built larger barns, 

539. 

of the sower, 542. 
of the tares, 544. 
of the mustard-seed, 544. 
of the merchant-man seeking pearls, 
545. 

of the fishermen with their nets, 546. 
of the king taking account of his ser¬ 
vants, 561. 

of the good Samaritan, 564. 

of the great supper, 572. 

of the lost sheep, 574. 

of the piece of silver, 574. 

of the prodigal son, 575. 

of the rich man and Lazarus, 577. 

of the unjust judge, 579. 

of the Pharisee and Publican, 581. 

of the vineyard, 587. 

of the marriage-feast, 588. 

of the ten virgins, 592. 

of the talents, 593. 

Paran, wilderness of, 150,152, 273. 

Passover, 107-110, 140, 597. 

Paul assists in the stoning of Stephen, 
641; is converted on the way to Da¬ 
mascus, 645; starts on first missionary 
journey, 658; is cast into prison at 
Philippi, 665; goes to Athens, 668; 
arrested at Jerusalem, 677; sent to 
Rome, 688; death, 693. 

Peace-otfering, 135. 

Pekah, 279. 

Pekahiah, 278, 279. 

Peniel, 60. 

Pentecost, 140, 629. 

Peor, 165. 

Perga, 659. 

Peter is brought by Andrew to Jesus, 515; 
walks on the water to Jesus, 553; takes 
money from a fish’s mouth, 560; cuts 
off the ear of Malchus, 605; denies his 
Master, 607; enters the tomb of Jesus, 
621; preaches on day of Pentecost, 630; 
heals the lame man, 631; has a vision, 
650; is delivered from prison by the 
Angel, 656; death of, 693. 

Pharaoh, king during Joseph’s life, 67-90; 
king when Moses fled to Midian, 95,96; 
king when Israelites fled from Egypt, 
96-113. 

Pharisees, 525. 

Philip, the Apostle, 515. 

Phillip, the Deacon, 642-645, 676. 

Philippi, 664. 

Philistines, first mentioned, 36, 

Phinehas, son of Eli, 238-242. 

Phinehas, high priest, 192. 

Pillar of cloud, 111, 133, 148. 

Plagues of Egypt, 100-110. 

Pomegranate, 123. 

Pontius Pilate, 609-620. 

Porch, Solomon’s, 497, 569. 

Potiphar, 67. 

Pottage, 48, 

Priestw, 123,133. 




704 INDEX. 


Priests, work of, 500. 

Priests’ robes, 123, 124. 

Priscilla, 670. 

Publicans, 527. 

Publius, 691. 

Pul, 378. 

Q uails sent. 114 , 151 . 

Queen of Sheba, 323. 

■RACHEL, 53-63. 

Rahab, 178-183. 

Rainbow, 24. 

Raraah, 245, 265. 

Ramoth-Gilead, 371. 

Rebekah, 44-47, 50. 

Red Sea, 111-113. 

Refuge, cities of, 172, 190. 

Rehohoam, 325, 382. 

Rending the clothes, 66. 

Reuben, 65-66, 75. 

Rhoda, 656. 

Rock at which Moses and Aaron sinned, 
159. 

Rod of Moses, 97. 

Rods brought by the twelve tribes to Mo¬ 
ses, 158. 

Roof, 178, 525. 

O ABBATH, 11, 120, 155. 

^ Sabbath year, 143. 

Sacrifices, morning and evening, 124, 134. 
Sacrifice, explanations of, 15, 134. 

Sacrifice abolished, 663. 

Sackcloth, 67. 

Sadducees, 632. 

Sal amis, 658. 

Salome, 518. 

Samaria built, 333. 

Samaritans, 459-462, 564. 

Samson, 210-219. 

Samuel born. 237; the Lord speaks to, 239; 

judge, 245-251; dies, 273. 

SanhiUat, 482-486. 

Sandals, 31. 

Sanhedrim, 607, 638, 680. 

Sapphira, 634. 

Sarah, 26, 30-32, 36, 41. 

Saul, king, anointed by Samuel, 249; re¬ 
jected by the Lord, 255; pursues David, 
263-278; kills himself, 284. 

Saviour, promised, 15, 398, 412. 

Scourging, 610. 

Scribes, 524. 

Scriptures, 521. 

Sepulchres, 42. 

Sermon on the Mount, 530, 535. 

Serpent, in Eden, 12. 

Serpent, brazen, 162. 

Shamgar, 196. 

Shallum, 378. 

Shadrach, 438,444. 

Shecaniah, 466. 

Shew-bread, 142. 

Shiloh, first mentioned, 190. 

Shimei, 299, 307. 

Shinar, 25. 

Shushan, 468. 

Silas, 663-665. 

Simeon, son of J acob, 76, 79. 

Simeon, the aged disciple, 506. 

Simon the Pharisee, 538. 

Simon Magus, 642, 


Sinai, 118, 128,150. 

Sisera, 196, 197. 

Sodom, 28, 33-35. 

Solomon is born, 297; ascends the throne, 
313; his judgment, 315; builds and 
dedicates the Temple, 316-322; wor¬ 
ships idols, 324; dies, 325. 

Sons of the prophet, 312, 352, 358. 

Spies, 74, 154, 178, 190. 

Stoning, 142, 155. 

Stephen, 637-641. 

Sun commanded to stand still, 189. 
Synagogues, 521. 

H^ABLE of shew-bread, 122, 130. 

Tabernacle, description of, 122, 123. 
Tabernacle reared, 133. 

Tarsus, 648. 

Task-masters, 92. 

Taxes, 527. 

Temple, Solomon’s, built and dedicated, 
316-322; Solomon’s, described, 316-319; 
Solomon’s, destroyed by Nebuchadnez¬ 
zar, 424; Zerubbabel’s, founded, 458; 
Zerubbabel’s, completed, 462; Herod’s, 
described, 496, 497. 

Ten commandments, 119-121. 

Ten tribes scattered, 381. 

Thessalonica, 667. 

Thomas, 625. 

Three Taverns, 391. 

Threshing-floor, 223. 

Timnath, 210. 

Timothy, 664. 

Tobiah, 482-486. 

Tola, 205. 

Town clerk, 673. 

Trinity, doctrine of, 696. 

Troas, 664. 

Tribes of Israel named. 146. 

Trumpets, of silver made, 148. 

Trumpets, Feast of, 486. 

Two and a half tribes, 168, 191. 

1JNLEAVENED bread, 108,140. 

Uriah, 292. 

Uz, 225. 

Uzzah, 288. 

Uzziali, 395-397. 

TTASHTI, 468, 469. 
v Venison, 50. 

TVTALLED cities, 33. 

’' Washing the feet, 31, 32. 

Wells, 38. 

Widow’s mite, 591. 

Winnow, 223. 

Wise men, 506. 

Y ACCHEUS, 583, 584. 

^ Zachariah, king of Israel, 378. 
Zacharias, priest, 499-503. 

Zarephath, 336. 

Zechariah, priest, 392. 

Zedekiah, 420-424. 

Zerubbabel, 458-461. 

Ziklag, 279, 281, 285. 

Zimri, 333. 

Zion, Mount, 288. 

Ziphites, 272, 276. 



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ment, which requires but little capital, is easy to start, and involves 
no risk of loss. Furthermore, an agency for the sale of good and 
instructive books is not merely advantageous as a business—it 
benefits the community as well. Knowledge is the source of power, 
and nothing increases knowledge so surely as the introduction of 
good literature. 


Charles Foster Publishing Co., 716 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 







T^iE 


STORY OF THE BIBLE 

FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION. 

Told in Simple Language. Adapted to all Ages, but Especially 
to the Young. 

By CHARLES FOSTER. 

A BOOK OF 704 PAGES. 300 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
INTERESTING AS A STORY-BOOK. 

Six Hundred Thousand Sold. 


This book has been proved by the unfailing test of time and by its 
very general adoption, not only in families, but in schools and institu¬ 
tions of learning throughout the land, to present the best simple version 
of the Holy Scriptures ever offered to the public. It is suitable for chil¬ 
dren, adults, or any who desire to acquire with ease and pleasure a 
knowledge of the main portions of the Bible. 

Although simplified in language, the spirit of the Scripture narra¬ 
tive is most carefully preserved, and all the incidents of the Bible story, 
from Genesis to Revelation, are told in an interesting and continuous 
form. 

Eminent men, well qualified to judge of such a work, have given 
it their warmest approval, and the public generally have testified to its 
interest and merit by adopting it as the standard of its class, and by a 
demand which requires it to be kept constantly upon the printing- 
press. 

The conditions under which the “ Story of the Bible" was publish¬ 
ed were peculiarly favorable. Its author, having had many years’ ex- 


Charles Foster Publishing Co., 716 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, Pa, 









3 


perience as a teacher of the Scriptures, felt the need of a simple version 
of the Bible, which would give its stories, its precepts, and its doctrines 
in a continuous narrative, and in such simple language as would be in¬ 
telligible to children, and uneducated adults, without additional explan¬ 
ation. 

Being unable to find such a work, he, from time to time, set him¬ 
self to the task of presenting the Scriptures in this manner: at first, 
preparing only such portions as were required for his own use. 

Gradually becoming impressed with the magnitude and importance 
of the work he had entered upon, he threw himself into the task with 
incredible industry and single-hearted devotion, and made it his life- 
work. As indicating the study and effort bestowed in giving a correct 
and proper rendering to every passage in the Bible, days were some¬ 
times spent in perfecting a single sentence, and the rendering of obscure 
and difficult passages of the Bible in plain and easy words was an ever¬ 
present thought for fully fifteen years of the author’s life. 

In addition to the care bestowed upon the manuscript, as succeed¬ 
ing editions were printed, the “ Story of the Bible” was set in type three 
different times; it each time received careful revision by the author. 

The book as it now appears is, therefore, the result of much patient 
and conscientious labor, and in accurate rendering of the Bible narrative 
it is so full and satisfactory as to be beyond the criticism of the most 
scholarly reader. 

The illustrations were provided under the personal direction of 
the author, and thousands of dollars expended in designs and engravings 
that would be worthy of the work. Three hundred pictures 
illustrate all the principal events of Bible history, and aid the text in 
impressing upon the mind the stirring incidents of the Scripture narra¬ 
tive. 

Since its first publication the sale of the “ Story of the Bible” has 
increased from year to year, and, as will be seen by referring to the 
title page, the number of copies already sold is about 600,000— 
a figure seldom reached by a book, but which in the case of the “Story 
of the Bible ” is being added to at the rate of many thousands of copies 
annually. 


Charles Foster Publishing Co., 716 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 




4 


BIBLE MODELS; 

OR, 

The Shining Lights of Scripture. 

A BOOK FOR THE YOUNG. 

Bible Instruction Made Easy and Interesting. 

By Rev. RICHARD NEWTON, D. D. 

536 Pages and lOO Beautiful Engravings 
from Pictures by Famous Artists. 


The author of “BIBLE MODELS Dr. Richard Newton —was 
for many years rector of one of the principal churches of Philadelphia. 
He was celebrated as a speaker to large audiences of young people, and for 
his ability to inspire in them habits of thought and rules of conduct leading 
to success and happiness in after life. This book is therefore the product 
of his long experience as a teacher. The Sunday-school connected with 
Dr. Newton’s Church being well filled and flourishing, it was no unusual 
thing for him to talk to as many as 500 children at one time, who list¬ 
ened attentively to his graphic descriptions of Bible Scenes and to the 
excellent stories with which he exemplified them. No coaxing ever was 
necessary to induce young people to come to these lectures, for the speaker’s 
delightful fund of anecdote and story, collected during a life-time of 
active and earnest work in the ministry, aptly illustrated the Bible lessons 
as he carried them onward, and made clear and plain to childish minds the 
great truths of the Gospel. 

This book, “ BIBLE MODELS,” having been written by such a dis¬ 
tinguished author, containing his best thoughts and most interesting ex¬ 
periences, could hardly fail to be a valuable and meritorious work. It re¬ 
sembles no other book on the Bible ever written, but has a character 
and originality all its own. Fascinating to the young, it is a favorite in 
every home where there are little ones, and when the children have laid it 
iown, their elders take it up, finding almost equal interest and pleasure in it. 


Charles Foster Publishing Co., 716 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 






STORY OF THE GOSPEL. 

BY CHARLES FOSTER 

Author of the “ Story of the Bible,” etc. 

The New Testament for Young People, 

OR, 

THE CHILD’S LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Printed in Short Words with Many Pictures. 366 pages, 
large type ; colored frontispiece. Cloth binding, 
stamped in gilt and colors. 

This charming book contains the New Testament in the form 
of a continuous story, told in easy words, with 150 pictures of all 
the principal scenes. The events of the Gospels are not repeated 
but are told in their proper order, with sufficient explanation to 
enable children of from eight to twelve years of age to under¬ 
stand their important truths. It gives in an interesting manner 
all the elementary instruction needed to enlighten childish minds 
with the principles of Christian Faith, 

That the “ Story of the Gospel” has attained the object 
for which it was written is proved by the great number sent out. 
Nearly 200,000 copies have been printed. The demand for it is 
constant, and it is used daily in many schools and institutions, as 
well as in countless homes throughout the land. 

It is a favorite gift book with teachers—for rewards to their 
scholars—and so useful is it found to be that considerable numbers 
are purchased from time to time, for free distribution, by persons 
interested in Sunday-school work. It is unsectarian and equally 
popular with the different religious denominations—with young 
Bible readers and students. 

The ‘ ‘ Story of the Gospel ’ ’ has been reprinted in foreign 
countries, where numerous translations have been made of it. 
Some of these are in use at far distant mission stations, so the 
book may be said to have gone all over the world. 


Charles Foster Publishing Co., 716 Sansom Street, Philadelphia. Pa. 






6 


BIBLE PICTURES 

AND 

WHAT THEY TEACH US, 

A Book containing: 400 Illustrations from the Old and New Testaments, w ith 
Brief Descriptions. 318 large Pages. 

BY CHARLES FOSTER, Author of the “ Story of the Bible,” Etc. 


THE COLLECTION OF BIBLE PICTURES contained in this book is 
probably one of the most complete that has ever been brought together in 
one volume. 

In preparing the work, the greatest care has been observed to use only 
such designs as will ADEQUATELY ILLUSTRATE THE BIBLE SCENES 
and fittingly portray the principal events in Bible history. 

It has been a matter of great difficulty to obtain so large a number of 
pictures of the necessary merit, as illustrations of Bible subjects present 
peculiar difficulties to the artist. While preserving the freedom of style and 
vigor of treatment necessary to give life to his designs and reality to the 
VARIED SCENES OF THE SCRIPTURE NARRATIVE, he must preserve 
for them a feeling of reverence and endow them with a dignity worthy of 
their sacred character. 

A latge number of the pictures in this book are reproduced from designs 
by foreign artists, who have been celebrated for their skill in this branch of 
art. Others are by artists in this country. Most of the pictures were person¬ 
ally selected by, or else drawn under the direction of, the author, who spent 
years of labor and thousands of dollars in forming this collection. 

The book forms a COMPLETE PICTORIAL HISTORY of the main 
portion of the Bible. Many parts are so fully illustrated that the narrative 
can be followed, and understood, by merely looking at the series of pictures 
which illustrate them, so that CHILDREN UNABLE TO READ may obtain 
a fair idea of the nature and sequence of Biblical events by simply turning 
over the pages. The book, however, is by no means merely a picture book. 
A lucid and brief explanation, written by the author of the “Story of the 
Bible,” accompanies each picture, on the same page, or on the page imme¬ 
diately facing it, so that the picture and the explanation appear simultan¬ 
eously to the eye. THE LARGE-SIZED PAGES (8x9^ inches) afford an 
admirable setting for the 400 pictures, displaying their artistic excellence to 
the best advantage, and furnishing the space necessary for the reading mat¬ 
ter which accompanies them. 


Charles Foster Publishing Co., 716 Sansom Street, Philadelphia. Pa. 







7 


FIRST STEPS 
For Little Feet, in Gospel Paths. 

BY CHARLES FOSTER, 

Author of the “ Story of the Bible,” etc. 

328 Pages ; 148 Illustrations ; colored frontispiece. 

Cloth binding, stamped in gilt and colors. 

This book has been most carefully prepared to give little children 
their first lessons in the Bible. It is therefore printed in very 
short, easy words ; and written with such clearness and simplicity 
that little ones of only five or six years of age can understand it, 
and read it for themselves. 

“ First Steps ” differs from any other book of its kind ever 
prepared. It is the result of the author’s many years experience, 
and great natural ability as a teacher of the young. All the 
stories and lessons it contains have been proved in actual practice 
to be admirably suited to attract the attention of young children 
and to hold their interest. 

In the opening pages the meaning or moral of the lessons is 
made clear to childish minds by using, as examples, familiar objects 
and incidents of daily life, both in picture and story. As the 
book advances the Bible stories are gradually brought in, and the 
little readers led through the Gospels. Every step of the way is 
made easy and attractive to them, and the chief incidents of 
Christ’s life on earth impressed upon their minds. A list 
of questions is printed after each chapter, so simple that the little 
learners may readily reply to them. 

” First Steps” is an invaluable aid to Parents, and Teachers 
of Infant Schools and Kindergarten. So many persons find it 
useful, that it has been necessary to print more than 100,000 
copies to supply the demand, and this number is constantly being 
added to. 


Charles Foster Publishing Co.. 716 Sansom Street, Philadelphia. Pa. 







8 



In all Sizes of Type and every Style of Binding. 


FAMILY BIBLES, containing both the New and Old Versions printed 
in Parallel Columns, Pronouncing Text, Hundreds of Illustrations, Bible 
Dictionary and Special Features. The Scriptures contain many words of 
ancient origin and construction, hard to pronounce. The New Pronounc¬ 
ing Edition of Family Bibles has been specially prepared to overcome this 
difficulty. Every proper name is divided into syllables, and an accent-mark 
is placed over the emphatic syllable. Also, Small and Medium-Sized Bibles, 
Leatherand Cloth Binding in great variety. OXFORD TEACHERS’BIBLES, 
containing the Old and New Testaments, References, Concordance, Bible 
History, Maps, Valuable Indexes, etc., etc.; with “HELPS TO THE 
STUDY OF THE BIBLE,” written by eminent Biblical Scholars, for the 
special purpose of giving to Students and Teachers a fuller understanding 
of the Scriptures. 


THE 

Pilgrim’s Progress. 

By JOHN BUNYAN. 

A SUPERB NEW EDITION, 

PRINTED IN LARGE PLAIN TYPE, 

AND CONTAINING 

ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ILLUSTRATIONS, 

WITH A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR (also illustrated). 

This elegant new edition will delight all lovers of beautiful books. 
Apart from the interest of the wonderful Allegory, the beauty and historic 
accuracy of the One Hundred and Seventy Superb Illustrations, 
delineating as they do modes of dress and customs of two centuries ago, as 
well as presenting to the eye all the stirring incidents of the story, must prove 
a constant source of entertainment to readers old and young. 


Charles Foster Publishing Co., 716 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 







































































































































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